facts and myths?

Question

MYTH
Undocumented immigrants “steal” jobs from U.S.-born workers--particularly from low-income and Black workers.
“[T]here are between 7 and 15 million working illegal immigrants diluting our labor pool. If illegal immigrants could no longer work, unions would flourish, the minimum wage would rise, and oligarchic nations to our south would have to confront and fix their corrupt ways.”
--Thom Hartmann, Common Dreams, March 29, 2006

FACT
Wages are kept low not by undocumented immigrants, but by corporations that have carried out a one-side war on U.S. workers since the 1970s.

Liberals like Hartmann who accept the idea that undocumented immigrants are the cause of low wages are doing a disservice to the fight for better jobs. They are setting undocumented immigrants against other groups of workers--and in pursuit of an argument that is simply not true.

According to an analysis of data from the 2000 Census by the American Immigration Law Foundation, employment in about one-third of all U.S. job categories would have contracted anyway during the 1990s without recently arrived, noncitizen immigrant workers--even if all unemployed U.S.-born workers with recent job experience in those categories had been reemployed.

According to a November report in USA Today, job and wage growth in 10 U.S. inner cities with high immigrant populations outpaced job and wage growth in their broader metropolitan statistical areas.

It’s true that immigrants--in particular, undocumented immigrants--tend to earn considerably less than working U.S. citizens. However, according to a 2004 study by the Urban Policy Institute, undocumented workers make up less than 10 percent of the 43 million low-wage workers in the United States.

The idea that 4 million undocumented workers are somehow responsible for keeping down the wages of the other 39 million low-wage workers is nonsensical--and only pits groups of workers against each other.

This claim also ignores the fact that immigrants, both documented and undocumented, are helping take the lead in one of the most important things that can actually raise wages for all low-wage workers--building a stronger union movement.

Answer 1

I agree totally.

Answer 2

FACT:
New Jobs going to Illegal Aliens as Unemployment Rate for Hispanics Jumps

Rise of the Off-the-Books Workforce -- Native-born workers are being displaced by new immigrants.

One in Five people in Mexico receives cash remittances from U.S.

The net effect of immigration is a drain on U.S. workers of about $70 billion per

Mexico has the 9th Largest Economy in the World ------ So what the hell is going on ?

Answer 3

FACT
Wages are kept low not by undocumented immigrants, but by corporations that have carried out a one-side war on U.S. workers, by using illegal immigration.

Dude , you are living in a fantasy world, open your eyes, and stop getting your info from AZTLAN .

Also , the undocumented title, shows you are so pro-illegal ... that you probally like to smell your own farts.

Answer 4

You're partially correct and partially incorrect.

True-- Illegal aliens are filling a void.

But, at the same time I have read that some of them do depress wages in certain trades-- e.g. carpenters.

And you know what-- I'm sick of hearing "evil corporations". For the most part, they're not. There are a few that suck but a great many provide quite a few jobs and decent wages and bene's.

We can't all work for the government ya know.

Answer 5

What you have pasted is a shell game, It conveniently changes from legal to illegal immigrants. Also it is taking into the fold job fields yet un-damaged by illegals. I have seen first hand the effects that illegals have on wages. These "one sided corporations" are aided by illegals, and the word steal is very appropriate. When someone takes something that in no way belongs to them it is called stealing.

Answer 6

"Undocumented" immigrants? Just the fact that they are undocumented makes them illegal so stop trying to sugar coat this issue with liberal talking points.

Illegal aliens are putting a HUGE drain on the US taxpayer. We have to provide them with free healthcare which costs this country Billions...Did you get that BILLIONS.... And I hate to be the one to inform you but they are taking jobs from good, hardworking Americans b/c they will work for less and with no benefits. I do happen to agree that big business is to blame for this though.

Answer 7

Lots of poopy here. I say change them diapers buddy they are stinking up the whole place. Your data sources do not corroborate what you are saying. Nice try. I have yet to see a factual argument supporting illegal immigration hold up. Your statement is no exception.

Answer 8

This is true! But it is easy to manipulate the uninformed into blaming undocumented workers for problems caused by US policies that support uninhibited greed on the part of corporations. If there is any hope of a renewed voice for labor in this country it is centered in the immigrant workers. But many nationals don't even realize how they lose when the labor unions are silenced.

Answer 9

WHAT did you do.....get your "facts" (sarcasm) from the Pew Hispanic Rag again?????
FACT :The ILLEGALS are a DIRECT cause of the American workers LOSING their job!!!!

FACT : ILLEGALS are the reason wages for Americans are so LOW!!!!

FACT: It has hit the black people and the poorly educated people, WORSE than anyone else!!!

FACT: ILLEGALS use MORE in social services, than they EVER pay in taxes!!!!

FACT: hospitals and states are going BROKE because of ILLEGALS!!!

Answer 10

ok, but those jobs that illegals take are usually the ones that american-borns don't want, so i think there is no problem, and ur right, we blame immigrants for the problems, and forget about those huge large corporations........

Answer 11

Yes, not enough people hold large corporations accountable for the state of our economy.