Asked By: Jack The Ripper - 5/19/2007

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

I agree. In fact, if you (as an American) go to Mexico and work illegally, you will be deported without question. No special worker program, no waiver, no amnesty, etc. And our president isn't going to ask them to let all the illegal Americans stay and work in Mexico to help support the American economy. Mexico and several other counrties have done exactly that.

Here's what's going on. Businesses in the US want tons of unskilled laborers so that wages will stay low and money will flow through their pockets. So despite the fact that there's a high unemployment rate amongst unskilled workers, they say there's a shortage. Certain government entities know this will help the economic status of certain class levels. However, they have little to no concern about those at, below, or just above the poverty level. They know that someone has to be cheap labor, and the more available cheap labor, more competition for jobs. More competition for jobs equals the ability to pay low wages. Low wages means businesses can charge less, knowing you'll buy more and profits increase from both angles. Now that you have the ability to buy more, your net worth goes up. But if you can't buy more because you're poor, it goes down. Over the course of time, you lose the middle class and become a country similar to Mexico. Studies such as one I'll point out in references, indicate exactly that. It shows how the gap between upper and middle classes has increased since the dramatic increase in both illegal and legal immigration after 1970.

The fact that you legalize tons of illegal workers won't change this. In fact, it will make it worse. If the newly legal unskilled laborers begin to complain about low wages, they'll be replaced by the new batch of illegals who will be sure to come. The problem is having too many unskilled workers.

Now, you constantly hear the US being made the villan because many people don't know the truth about what's going on. Some are turning an economic issue into an emotional, and sometimes racial, issue. But the race of the unskilled workers has no effect on the economy. If all the people coming were highly skilled, regardless of race, things would be much different.

Another reason is that some people do know what's going on and they're pulling the wool over your eyes by appealing to your emotions and beliefs regarding human issues. Phrases like "They only take jobs Americans don't want" are ridiculous. I am a minorty, and my racial group only makes up 13?f the US, yet 25?f our people live below the poverty line. What jobs are done by those 25?Are they corporate executives? Do they have illegal aliens cutting their non-existent lawns? No, they compete for jobs with illegals. And that keeps them poor. Aren't we Americans, or are we invisible? Same goes for Native Americans, who used to be 100?f the country and are now 0.8?They also have 25?t or below the poverty level.

Let's not get into the fact that some upper class folks want legalization of millions because they won't be effected adversely by the problem and need the illegals to do their landscaping, watch their kids, and do all those things they want to get "on the cheap". Is that where the "they do jobs Americans don't want t do" comes from? Is that supposed to be a good thing? Used to be that would be called indentured servitude, a step above slavery. Now isn't that special. Looking out for the little guy, huh?

Here's another one. "They pay their taxes and are hard working people". Well, if you work for an employer "on the books", taxes are automatically taken out of your pay. You didn't volunteer that. So what does that really mean? "They'll come out of the shadows into the light of America". But if you're working for a legit employer who takes out your taxes, you can apply for social benefits, and you can have huge protests where you carry the flag of your own country, not ours, what shadow are you standing in?

Bottom line: Curbing illegal immigration is not xenophobic, it's being smart for the economy. That's the whole reason immigration began in the first place. However, there are interest groups who fund politicians on both sides and want more unskilled laborers. The government can't have a "guest worker program" or "grant a path to citizenship" if they don't appeal to something other than your economic sense. So they hype the "compassion" issue, screw poor people, and look out for their segment of the country. The fact that they do this tacfully gets support. And misguided civil rights groups jump on the issue from the racial angle, calling strong anti-illegal immigration laws evil and/or racist. I say misguided because they should be spending more of their efforts helping Americans and legal resident workers who suffer discrimination because of race. Note that being hispanic doesn't mean you're illegal. So I don't understand why some Hispanic groups forcing the legalization issue and not being concerned about the 22?overty situations they face. Cesar Chavez, a leader of the migrant worker movement years ago, was actually against illegal immigration yet he gets mentioned all the time. The same goes for ultra liberal Democrats who are supporting legalization of millions. They're actually hurting the very people they've vowed to protect. But then, their pockets won't be emptied by the influx of unskilled labor.

By the way, I'm neither a Republican nor Democrat and defintely not a conservative, not a liberal. I make up my own mind by getting facts as I see them. Also, my wife is from Colombia and waited many years in her own country for her family to bring her here legally. They followed the law, one that didn't care about the fact that she's a non-white hispanic and allowed her in without a problem.

Answered By: undercover brother - 5/19/2007