are undocumented workers taking the jobs of the Americans?

Question

one of the main argument of the anti-immigrants its that they are taking our jobs however the latest statics had reveal that demographics are proving this to be wrong , i would like to remind u something ..... mister president how can u say that it is a good thing to send our jobs over sea ??? mmm well it is a good thing .....lets go back to where we were ..... latest statics had reveal the undocumented immigrants unlike the anti-immigrants usually talk about whit out studying the real fatcs usually compete whit each other instead of competing whit the Americans . second the immigrants had usually taken the jobs which the Americans had left , this started since ww2 when blacks and some white americans decided not to comeback to the fields or to the same they had done before but to better their lives by trying something else . i would like to add that most people i know from new orleans had decided not to comeback because they did not have jobs before

lewis y your answer is interesting on one side u say yes they are taking the jobs and in other u say America needs a lot more documented workers ... well the solution is to make them legal and to not allow big corporations to pay low wages

DAR blck leaders had just given their support to the immigrants mainly to the undocumented http://www.workers.org/2006/us/unity-0427/

marilyn i also have a problem whit those who do not pay taxes i do pay jsut llike u . first they are not the large majority which do pay taxes , however this needs to be understood if they were asked to come foward ( by granting legals status ) all who do not pay taxes would have to do it therefor the solution is to legalize them not to waste our money looking for people who want to work hard and come to America for understandable reasons .

Answer 1

Listen Everyone Our President Has Something To Say:

President George W. Bush

Many of you here today are Americans by choice, and you have followed in the path of millions. And over the generations we have received energetic, ambitious, optimistic people from every part of the world. By tradition and conviction, our country is a welcoming society. America is a stronger and better nation because of the hard work and the faith and entrepreneurial spirit of immigrants.

Every generation of immigrants has reaffirmed the wisdom of remaining open to the talents and dreams of the world. And every generation of immigrants has reaffirmed our ability to assimilate newcomers -- which is one of the defining strengths of our country.

During one great period of immigration -- between 1891 and 1920 -- our nation received some 18 million men, women and children from other nations. The hard work of these immigrants helped make our economy the largest in the world. The children of immigrants put on the uniform and helped to liberate the lands of their ancestors. One of the primary reasons America became a great power in the 20th century is because we welcomed the talent and the character and the patriotism of immigrant families.

The contributions of immigrants to America continue. About 14 percent of our nation's civilian workforce is foreign-born. Most begin their working lives in America by taking hard jobs and clocking long hours in important industries. Many immigrants also start businesses, taking the familiar path from hired labor to ownership.

As a Texan, I have known many immigrant families, mainly from Mexico, and I have seen what they add to our country. They bring to America the values of faith in God, love of family, hard work and self reliance -- the values that made us a great nation to begin with. We've all seen those values in action, through the service and sacrifice of more than 35,000 foreign-born men and women currently on active duty in the United States military. One of them is Master Gunnery Sergeant Guadalupe Denogean, an immigrant from Mexico who has served in the Marine Corps for 25 years and counting. Last year, I was honored and proud to witness Sergeant Denogean take the oath of citizenship in a hospital where he was recovering from wounds he received in Iraq. I'm honored to be his Commander-in-Chief, I'm proud to call him a fellow American. (Applause.)

As a nation that values immigration, and depends on immigration, we should have immigration laws that work and make us proud. Yet today we do not. Instead, we see many employers turning to the illegal labor market. We see millions of hard-working men and women condemned to fear and insecurity in a massive, undocumented economy. Illegal entry across our borders makes more difficult the urgent task of securing the homeland. The system is not working. Our nation needs an immigration system that serves the American economy, and reflects the American Dream.

Reform must begin by confronting a basic fact of life and economics: some of the jobs being generated in America's growing economy are jobs American citizens are not filling. Yet these jobs represent a tremendous opportunity for workers from abroad who want to work and fulfill their duties as a husband or a wife, a son or a daughter.

Their search for a better life is one of the most basic desires of human beings. Many undocumented workers have walked mile after mile, through the heat of the day and the cold of the night. Some have risked their lives in dangerous desert border crossings, or entrusted their lives to the brutal rings of heartless human smugglers. Workers who seek only to earn a living end up in the shadows of American life -- fearful, often abused and exploited. When they are victimized by crime, they are afraid to call the police, or seek recourse in the legal system. They are cut off from their families far away, fearing if they leave our country to visit relatives back home, they might never be able to return to their jobs.

The situation I described is wrong. It is not the American way. Out of common sense and fairness, our laws should allow willing workers to enter our country and fill jobs that Americans have are not filling. We must make our immigration laws more rational, and more humane. And I believe we can do so without jeopardizing the livelihoods of American citizens.

Answer 2

Well, if I had a house, I'd garden. Hard to grow one in an apt. And there's no such thing as an undocumented American. This handy little article doesn't bring up anything about the factory jobs or construction jobs, does it? Before my husband joined the ranks of the unemployed, his smallish factory, with about 65-75 workers, was raided and they found 2 illegals working there. And don't expect me to cry for any of these people. I've watched my husband do back breaking work for 20 years. And cleaning toilets as a maid? Yep, I've done it. And I'd do it again to help my family. Why do you all insist that all illegals are Mexican (like that makes it okay) and that it's only white Americans who lose out on jobs (that's not okay, either). There are Americans of all colors and ethnicities losing jobs while illegals (from all over the globe) find work.

Answer 3

Illegals are taking jobs away. also I find it ironic that some who are complaining do not want to work. Kinda weird. I work in an area that I have to hire from that city. If I do not the city will shut the job down.
Now here is the tricky anawer.I am not by all means thinking a racist thought. it is a mostly a black neighborhood. Now I think who wants to work . no person. I have hired people and guess what? I find these minorities talking on the cell phones in a corner keeping a eye on me so when I come around they can hang up. Who really wants to work ? Illegals want to work. So they come here. I am against it ,but illegals like to work and will work 8 hours with no messing around.anyways i babble to much

Answer 4

illegal aliens are not 'undocumented workers', they're people that have entered our country illegally, and they need to leave. It's really that simple. The fan dance is very entertaining, but unconvincing. Our politicians seem bent on 'integrating' us with mexico, too bad they can't go 'integrate' themselves, maybe by MOVING to mexico, and good riddance, there. We're being sold a bill of goods. Gotta give em props for being persistent, but illegal is still illegal, and it does make you wonder when you have our own state legislators advocating breaking the law etc, basically, by coming up with mealy-mouthed obfuscations and creative ways to sneak people into the United States etc.

Legal immigration is fine, there's a process to that, it involves becoming a citizen, or at least having something like a work visa, but what's happened instead is that people are just moving in under cover of darkness and saying 'whatcha gonna DO about it'? Well, I'm voting against it, that's what I'm doing about it, I don't think it's right, it's definitely not legal, and I don't care how much money they think they'll make by doing it, the books bear out the bitter fact that it's a net negative to have this illegal immigration stuff going on, so let's have an end to it. Mexico needs to pick up their slack, too, and work in concert with the US to ensure that there's no illegal immigration, and if they don't/won't, then it's time to nail the border SHUT, and start doing trade with someone else, or just go back to the old-fashioned concept of doing for ourselves. It might just be what the doctor ordered, cure a lot of learned dependency in both countries, take out your own trash, do your own laundry, grow your own food, that kind of stuff. Sure, it's work, but you have to work to pay taxes to finance prisons and social services agencies and all those other wonderful things, too, so which would you rather do? I vote for buying a shovel and some tomato seeds, WAYYY cheaper. Mexico needs to be independent, and they can do that best by seeking new(legal) ways of participating in global trade. However it works out, Mexico needs to feed and take care of their own, it's not America's job to support Mexico. We can help them by sending some of their able-bodied workers back home where they're needed to build hospitals, schools, roads, churches, police stations, all that necessary infrastructure that's helped our country become what it is, but they need to be doing all of this IN Mexico.

Restore some balance, and some common sense to the whole mess, have done with the hyperbole, finish the border fence, and get Mexico standing on its' own two feet. Have done with this.
No more sob-stories, no more tap-dancing, no more excuses, let's have the border enforced, and have done with the whole charade.

Support the law on this one, not the profiteers...

Answer 5

I disagree.

The illegals are really taking over the construction industry.

A WalMart affiliate imported illegals to work as meat cutters, because they accepted much less money, and wouldn't report injuries. They kept cutting meat and dribbling infection into the product. A Vice-President of Walmart plead guilty to conspiring to import illegals. (Forbes magazine about 5 years ago)

Many industires use illegals to pay low wages and get around the laws protecting workers from health issues and OSHA.

They aren't just taking over the low-paying jobs, they are also taking over what were middle income jobs.

Punish the employers, coyotes, illegals, and everyone who facilitates their actions. Make the punishment really mean something, and cease the practice of selective enforcement.

The most I can do is not buy food from WalMart, because I am aware of their practices, and don't want to endanger my own health by purchasing foodstuffs that may be contaminated with infections or diseases.

Checked the numbers on the increase in tuberculosis lately? TB? That was supposed to have been pretty much gone in the USA.

I feel the USA needs a lot of LEGAL IMMIGRANTS, who have passed the qualifying procedures, including health checks and sufficient financial resources or a responsible sponsor. Perhaps the Immigration laws need to be revisited, but keep it legal.

Addendum: After finishing my post, I read prior posts, and realized that people don't realize just how much of what was once middle class emplyment has been subverted by illegals who will work cheap, long hours, without healthcare(except federally provided emergency rooms). It isn't just lettuce pickers and lawn boys, it is construction, manufacturing, shipping and many other trades and skills.

Oh, and many of them are either off the books, or file with 9 dependents under a fake social, to avoid paying federal taxes.


It would actually take time and thought, but I strongly recommend reading "The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire". There are good synopses available.

Addendum2: OK, maybe I am unclear. A comprehensive immigration reform would BALANCE the countries and the professions the LEGAL immigrants come from. I own a construction business, among other interests. I cannot compete with contractors for new construction who hire illegals from a "temp service" who doesn't pay for unemployment taxes(5%), social security(15.30%), workmen's comp(24%), or income withholding taxes(about 28%). The temp services disappear without paying, and re-form a day later with a new owner. We have allowed a sophisticated criminal class to evolve, not dissimilar to the gangsters of prohibition.

We just had a heckuva hurricane season last year, and much of that income never paid a nickel in taxes, insurances, or medical costs.

Eastern Europeans are highly educated and simply cannot get into the US through legitimate channels. Immigrants from a broad spectrum of countries would greatly assist in the process of assimilation. Since I said that, if you want to do anything in the USA, speak English.

That leads into another huge problem in medical care and the strain on the federally and state funded medical care services, raising the prices for everyone. If they are hurt badly enough on a job to need medical care, and the employer hasn't really supplied comp or insurance, they go straight to emergency room.

How about medical care? For some reason we don't have nearly enough medical practitioners. We pay 5 times more in GDP per person for medical care than the developed countries, and yet the quality of health care ranks between 28th and 36th, depending on which analyses you use. Can we import more of medical professionals? There is a procedure in place to qualify those professionals.

Medicare and SS are a looming crisis. USA needs more contributors to the programs, not non-paying workers who skirt the system. Medicare and SS are taxes on income. And I understand some professions use shadow temp services like the construction industry does.

America will have to become more competitive, but the system is in place. Change the system so businesses aren't so highly tempted to skirt taxes and many of the cost deficits will shrink.

And can anyone explain to me why Ron Gettelfinger, head of the UAW, is in favor of hiding illegal immigrants?

Answer 6

The answerer above (Dwight) does not know what he's talking about. In 1986 a job in a manufacturing plant that I worked in then started a worker out at $11.25 per hour. That exact same job now starts workers out at $8.00 per hour. That was TWENTY years ago!!WHY? Because they started hiring illegal immigrants! That may have stopped now since my state is cracking down on the hiring of illegal workers. Many jobs in my city have been out-sourced to foreign countries. Manufacturing jobs are scarce. Many people who were planning to retire in a few years have lost their jobs. They are now having to learn new trades and must start at the bottom when they had climbed the ladder in the jobs that were outsourced and were making a livable wage, one they wanted to retire on. Now there probably won't even be social security to retire on. It's being given to illegal immigrants who come here, barely pay anything into it (maybe nothing), then retire in their homeland that they had FLED FROM!

Illegals DO take jobs from Americans by working for p-nuts, causing wages to plummet. Illegal people should not be here vying for jobs that should be for legal citizens.

Angela- those jobs were and could still be done by many High School grads and some people who have technical school start at those jobs and move up. Some high school grads. worked those jobs and continued to go to college. It is not just high school dropouts who work those jobs. As a matter of fact they won't hire anyone who doesn't at least have a GED.

Answer 7

http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060826/NEWS01/608260301

"WASHINGTON - A new group says immigrant laborers are stealing coveted hurricane reconstruction jobs from victims of last year's storms, a claim that brings the bitter national debate over illegal immigration to the Gulf Coast.

Members of the group, Choose Black America, want to stop the flow of illegal immigrants, who they say are more willing than local residents to work for low wages and live in substandard conditions.

"Companies were awarded billions of tax dollars dedicated to rebuilding the region but are evading immigration and other laws designed to protect American workers - out of sheer greed," conservative black columnist Armstrong Williams, a member of the coalition, said. "There are many people who want to come back to New Orleans, but there are no opportunities for them," he said. "

Game - there are more than two or three blacks with political power in this country. To say 'black leaders' gave their support is as silly as saying 'white leaders' did something. They are a diverse group. You asked about jobs, however, not about blacks, and that is what the article I quote was about.

Here's more: http://www.wtrf.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=13453

Answer 8

Illegal aliens are not simply taking jobs Americans do not want. They are taking most of the construction work, and especially work for contractors, who may withhold some taxes, and then simply disappear. All part of the big scam.

Answer 9

I don't have a problem with them taking jobs... I do have a problem with undocumented workers taking job s and not paying taxes. They put a drain on the system and don't pay their fair share. If I have to pay taxes, they should too... its only fair. If employers had to pay taxes and unemployment and other benefits for them it would improve their quality of life and put us all on an even keel.

Answer 10

Whenever you ask this question, one day it's who's gonna pick your fruit or lettuce, then moves on to fast food,nannies,that famous lawn care, how many lawns are being cut it be must billions and next who will build your roads? Bridges? Houses. Where were all the illegals when this country was being created ? Mowing Mexico Grass ?

Answer 11

YES THEY ARE!!!. More than 50% of the jobs in my area are TAKEN BY ILLEGALS. There are plenty of others, legitimate others, who would love to have those jobs but can't get them because the illegals take them.