Why do people say illegals are taking jobs Americans would normally not do?

Question

I for one was doing a job that was "something americans wouldn't do." When I was 16 and through college I worked on a farm, which was chock full of illegals. I agree that most older americans would not take many of the jobs that illegals do but there are many younger people who want a job but can not get it because their employer wants to pay a lower wage.

Answer 1

It's just an excuse to try and make themselves look better. And they've been brainwashed by El Presidente Jorge Bush.

Answer 2

Prior to the disastrous immigration act of 1965, there was very little immigration.

In fact, between 1925 and 1965, immigration levels were so low the number of immigrants in the country actually declined. In fact, there was even a period of net emigration out of the United States.

Yet, during that time, Americans invented computers, had a healthy labor movement, initiated the space program that put men on the moon, made great strides in civil rights and environmental legislation, built the largest economy the world has ever seen, and successfully prosecuted WWII against two great powers on two fronts simultaneously. We also got our grass cut, our meat packed. Our children were being watched, and our houses were being cleaned.

The idea that somehow we suddenly can't run a country without an endless supply of foreigners is absurd.

The falsehood repeated endlessly, that immigrants do the jobs Americans won't, is really tantamount to something like this: Imagine the owner of the local McDonald's puts a sign in the window that says: "Dishwasher wanted. $1.00 / hour." Suppose he leaves the sign in the window for a month, but no one comes in to apply for the dishwashing job. "See?" the McDonald's owner might say, "Dishwashing is a job Americans won't do. But there are a billion people in China who work for less than a dollar per hour. I need to import some cheap workers from China (or Bangladesh or Mexico)."

Then he or she will import the worker, undercut American wages, and, as a bonus, stick the taxpayer with the cost of the new worker's health care, of educating his children, and so on.

And politicians will talk about how our economy "depends" on immigrant labor.

A country should do its own work.

Answer 3

Why are they saying such? More than likely with the hopes that someone will start to believe such........

What other reason can there be? The jobs were being done before - STILL being done by citizens till owners press them out of the job in favor of cheap labor (used to call these type of people 'scabs' not all that long ago) where they are not taking out the proper taxes and payment is normally done under the table - at a rate FAR below the going rate.

As a teen - many years ago - I worked on farms. Many farms in my area - and kids are STILL working on the farms - but now more and more are having to fight for that job because of the pay that illegals work for.

Turn them in when you find them doing such. Sooner of later ICE is going to have to investigate - and if they don't - write your congress critter to let them know of the dates and businesses that you have turned into ICE and have yet to be investigated. Such just might have an effect.....

Answer 4

American citizens have and WILL do these jobs. However, because they pay taxes and typically do not tap into social programs to obtain food stamps, "free" housing, "free" health and dental care, they need to be paid more than illegals who do not pay taxes and do tap into America's social programs.

In addition, in a market economy, we would never pay huge amounts for fruits and veggies. People would simply stop buying them and start their own community gardens. Look at gas prices - if gas was $20/gallon would you buy it? No. You'd find a different mode of transportation, work from home, people would walk, ride their bike or if absolutely necessary - car pool. Americans adapt. If every illegal left today, we would quickly fill jobs and the only thing affected would be profit.

Another problem is that illegals steal jobs from legal immigrants who need to work. And high school and college kids are struggling to find work as well.

It gets worse. Not only are illegals directly taking jobs - in unskilled positions, but also in carpentry and construction - but they affect the job market in another way. When physicians, counselors, teachers and administrators can't find work because they don't speak Spanish - even if they are MORE qualified than others, it's not right.

The short answer - illegals are not taking jobs Americans won't do. Watch "Dirty Jobs" - you'll see plenty of Americans doing incredibly dirty, dangerous jobs.

Answer 5

Because they are.Keep in mind that a lot of those particular jobs are starter jobs that were filled with teenagers, seniors and those that had no higher education and that was the best they could do.When I was a kid thats the way it was. These jobs filled the gap of PT workers as they were flexible.Kids cut lawns and threw newspapers for some cash.We worked in McDonalds or other retail after school.We helped our neighbor build something also for Friday night money All of a sudden people are expecting to put a kid through college on a starting jobs wages.The idea was to start somewhere that did not take a ton of skill and then progress through education to the higher paying jobs.My kids cannot get these jobs now as they are filled with this influx of immigrants.Therefore leaving the kids broke and twiddling their thumbs , its not that the kids are lazy ( as the knowleadgeble illegals spout), they just have nothing to do.( Sorry , got on a roll)

Answer 6

There is a historical precident for this already. I will let everyone do their homework to find two major empires that saw this and what happened to them.
The immigrants will take the lower pay thusly that takes a higher paying job away from someone willing to work. Now the employer has an incentive to do this, cheaper wages so more profits. Simple answer isn't it.
The issue is much bigger though. They ARE costing you in educational funds and in health care, not to mention increasing insurance rates (cars, home). This has all been spelled out many times. As well as played out in history.

Answer 7

This is a fallacy.If I were to lose my job right now and farm work was the only job available,you know I'd be there in a heartbeat.The sad reality is that the employers prefer illegals over Americans because they can treat them like slaves and pay them whatever they want and not pay benefits.

Answer 8

I, too, as a 15 and 16 yr old work in the fields during the summer picking strawberries. I guess the younger people have not reached a state of desperation. Right now, near here, there are cherry orchards that wil be 40% unpicked because the illegals are afraid of immigration raids. The owner pays $8 per hour and no americans have even applied for a position. So we must assume that the people who are saying that are only parroting the politicians.

Answer 9

That's always bugged me too.

Of course other people would take those jobs, but the employer doesn't want to pay even minimum wage, so they hire illegals who aren't going to complain. It's the same for construction too.

Around here, I have never once seen an ad in the classified looking for farm workers. Most of the growers don't advertise where most people will look for jobs.

Answer 10

Meat packing plant raids:

Before the invasion workers were getting an average of $20.00 per hour with benefits. Just before the raids, workers were getting an average of $11.00 per hour with less benefits.

Notice the President never says "jobs Americans won't do" he always says "jobs that Americans don't want to do" because at every raid there were Americans and legal resident aliens working along side the illegals!

Answer 11

I agree with you. I work in a factory that had illegals working there. When ICE came and checked the temp service they found 68 illegals and deported them. The jobs were filled with legal citizens immediately, And the majority of these new people were older and most had been having a hard time finding a job.