In Congress, a harder line on illegal immigrants

[Danno 1,228]

Oh, Danno, are you buying into that GOP hopey-changey stuff?

Half of what I wrote.. and you chuckle at has come to pass (dram act shot down), I guess we will see how close I am on the the other part.

Keep in mind that the topic is about what "Congress will do"... not what Obama will sign.

[Danno 1,228]

Now we will get the Republican BS regarding "illegal immigrants". The issue is not and never has been "illegal immigrants" The issue is businesses hiring undocumented workers at lower than minimum wage and avoiding federal and state worker protections in order to save money. That's it. There IS nothing else to the issue. Illegals come here to work for money. Small businesses (and some big businesses) hire them to avoid the labor laws in place in this country. in fact they use illegals to undermine the very laws and regulations that keep workers safe and employed fairly. The benefit outweighs the risk.

When will someone, ANYone punish severely people that hire illegals? When the economic opportunites dry up, the illegals will leave and American employers will be forced to hire Americans and legal immigrants at prevailing wages and benefits.

The Democrats wanted to make them legal and give them a path to citizenship so they can vote for Democrats. Republicans want to keep them underground so they can't complain and can be abused and work cheap for Republicans, but the "problem" will not go away under either party.

-Drying up the opportunities for work is as important as any other step.

- Drying up the Social programs is equally as important, if you take an illegals job but but then allow the tax payers to support him.. what good is that?

-If you have any evidence that Illegals are earning minimum wage, I'd like to see it, from my every experience, they are making below standard wage but certainly not below minimum wage. Many illegals have been working for years under fake names which makes them kinda in a legal category... as far as pay-wage goes.

I don't doubt there are some Sweat-shop type slave labor places but this is the exception because hell.... we don't make anything in this country any more.

[ceadsearc 516]

Of course not all Latinos are in favor of illegal immigration, but most are or sympathize with it for obvious reasons and motives stated above. The Dumbocrats wouldn't be pandering to the illegal alien cheerleaders already eligible to vote if the sentiment was not there in large enough numbers to for them to get some sort of self serving gain from it. We all know why the Dumbos are pushing to protect and eventually amnesty tens of millions of illegal aliens already here with citizenship and voting rights. I just haven't been able to figure out why so many Americans believe in and support this madness. They must be stupid, gullible, ignorant, or they don't give a sh*t. I see no good in these foolish policies for the vast majority of Americans.

It may be true that many Latinos sympathize with immigrants who have come here illegally (which truly I believe is a personal thing, just like USCs and others form their own opinion and decide whether or sympathize or not), but NO WAY do the majority come here expecting amnesty or anything else. Please. Most of them haven't gotten amnesty, and won't get amnesty, and there is no way to KNOW if they'll get TPS. The ONLY people who may expect amnesty are people coming from Cuba, because we explicitly say - hey! Make it to land! You can stay! The majority of illegal immigrants come here not because they want to be illegal but because they literally cannot make ends meet in their country and have families to support. And the US loves it, despite what they say. Do you really think the USCs are going to go pick strawberries and tomatoes? Please.

Edited December 27, 2010 by ceadsearc

[mawilson 2,133]

Do you really think the USCs are going to go pick strawberries and tomatoes? Please.

Yes.

[peejay 327]

Do you really think the USCs are going to go pick strawberries and tomatoes? Please.

I dunno...my wife and I pick our own oranges. We pick our own tomatoes too. We also do our own gardening, yardwork, and landscaping. You must be referring to lazy USC's.

[DEDixon 39]

Yes.

Yes again and again and again.. YES THEY WILL!

[DEDixon 39]

It may be true that many Latinos sympathize with immigrants who have come here illegally (which truly I believe is a personal thing, just like USCs and others form their own opinion and decide whether or sympathize or not), but NO WAY do the majority come here expecting amnesty or anything else. Please. Most of them haven't gotten amnesty, and won't get amnesty, and there is no way to KNOW if they'll get TPS. The ONLY people who may expect amnesty are people coming from Cuba, because we explicitly say - hey! Make it to land! You can stay! The majority of illegal immigrants come here not because they want to be illegal but because they literally cannot make ends meet in their country and have families to support. And the US loves it, despite what they say. Do you really think the USCs are going to go pick strawberries and tomatoes? Please.

the way it is done might change. maybe sellers will need to pick their own produce, pay at the farm then truck it to whatever they will sell it.

got to think outside the box!

Edited December 27, 2010 by DEDixon

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Do you really think the USCs are going to go pick strawberries and tomatoes? Please.

Yes.

Exactly! Same as USCs do landscaping, wash dishes, work in laundry facilities, clean hotel rooms, work in meat packaging plants, in construction and any other place where you see illegal immigrants make a buck. In fact, USCs and lawful residents actually are the majority of the workforce in each and every one of these sectors. "They do the work that Americans won't do." Bullshite!

[Ban Hammer 13,408]

Exactly! Same as USCs do landscaping, wash dishes, work in laundry facilities, clean hotel rooms, work in meat packaging plants, in construction and any other place where you see illegal immigrants make a buck. In fact, USCs and lawful residents actually are the majority of the workforce in each and every one of these sectors. "They do the work that Americans won't do." Bullshite!

oh please don't you know americans are fat and lazy and we'd still be in the stone ages if it wasn't for the noble illegals building this country for us?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

oh please don't you know americans are fat and lazy and we'd still be in the stone ages if it wasn't for the noble illegals building this country for us?

Well, let me go and put on a few pounds so I can be more American.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

Imagine, just imagine for imagination's sake, all illegal aliens working in the agricultural field for less than minimum wage would disappear overnight. What would happen?

Would the farmers let all the oranges, tomatoes, lettuce rot in peace or would they desperately try to hire people to pick them?

So what if nobody would be willing to do the job for $4 an hour and no illegals are available?

I'll tell you . . . they would pay whatever it takes to get people, even if it's $8.75 or $9.00 per hour in order not to lose everything!

Then, of course, the price for oranges and tomatoes and lettuce would go up. And?

My gut feeling is this: if Americans had a choice of having to pay 33% more for their produce, but had no illegal aliens yet Americans finding work, and the choice of having to pay less for produce but having illegal aliens doing the work and Americans collecting unemployment benefits, and we had a vote on this, I'm sure of the outcome.

What do you think?

[james&olya 1,121]

It may be true that many Latinos sympathize with immigrants who have come here illegally (which truly I believe is a personal thing, just like USCs and others form their own opinion and decide whether or sympathize or not), but NO WAY do the majority come here expecting amnesty or anything else. Please. Most of them haven't gotten amnesty, and won't get amnesty, and there is no way to KNOW if they'll get TPS. The ONLY people who may expect amnesty are people coming from Cuba, because we explicitly say - hey! Make it to land! You can stay! The majority of illegal immigrants come here not because they want to be illegal but because they literally cannot make ends meet in their country and have families to support. And the US loves it, despite what they say. Do you really think the USCs are going to go pick strawberries and tomatoes? Please.

Picking tomatoes and strawberries may be hard work but USC's do many other jobs that are even harder. The issue is pay. Employers want cheap labor to maximize profits and they have it with illegals. If a decent income was paid there would be no shortage of USC's wanting those jobs. The best solution, IMO, is good minimum wage legislation, mandatory benefits, safe working conditions, and effective enforcement of all of it! As consumers we would have to pay higher prices but the incentive for hiring illegals would be much less than now and with no jobs they would tend to leave. Which party do you think blocks raising the minimum wage and tries to render toothless any workplace safety legislation?

[peejay 327]

Which party do you think blocks raising the minimum wage and tries to render toothless any workplace safety legislation?

And which party blocks worksite employment authorization enforcement and mandatory E-Verify?

Truth is...minimum wage is unnecessary when there is a labor shortage.

I'm not trying to defend Republiclowns over Dumbocrats, but those without sin cast the first stone.

[Ban Hammer 13,408]

Well, let me go and put on a few pounds so I can be more American.

that's the spirit! and don't forget to go max out your credit cards too!

[mawilson 2,133]

Then, of course, the price for oranges and tomatoes and lettuce would go up. And?

And it would be a fair price, not a price undermined by illegal labor entering the market.