Who says they do the work Americans won't do?

Question

According to the Wall Street Journal, 14 %of construction workers are illegal, that means of course that 86% of Americans do the rest. 17% clean motels, hotels, offices and homes, citizens do the rest. 23% work the fields, citizens do the rest. I think Americans will do any jobs, what do you think?

Answer 1

Americans would probably do those same jobs if given the opportunity. The employment rate is quite low and has been low for a long time. So I don't think illegal immigrants are taking up many jobs that leave other Americans w/o work. I believe unemployment is under 5% right now?

The question is why would emloyers hire them if there are illegal aliens that will do it for less money?

Employers know exactly what they're doing when they hire illiegal immigrants. They get cheap labor, can pay under the table, and have them over a barrel because they have no recourse. This means they can treat these people however they please. A lot like slave labor in many ways.

I don't blame people for wanting to make a better life for themselves, although they should have to jump through the same hoops as every other immigrant in the US.

The employers are the real culprits. If you can keep them from exploiting illegal labor, then you will cut off the supply that keeps illegals coming here in droves.

Answer 2

Assume the "need the workers" argument is true. The question then becomes, "If we need these extra workers to harvest the fields, etc..., then why not bring them in LEGALLY?" Have the employers guarantee them a job with minimum wage, and the employer basically becomes the sponsor. This would allow us a better mechanism to screen potential workers, so we could select the ones that we think are best.

Also, if an American wants to eat bad enough, they'll work at a job. There is no reason that an able bodied person can't work. If someone is out of work, give them 2 weeks worth of unemployment benefits. After that, they get nothing unless they are able to find a job. If they are able to find a job, even if they are underemployed, they can resume getting benefits.

Answer 3

I have work with These Americans ,and I have never seen so many sissies, in my life the 100 degree plus Arizona is to hot and using a short hoe is so hard on your back. in my days Arizona was a right to work state and if you couldn't do the work ,hit the Rode Jack. I remember one day on a job we asked a young lady to mop the floor, she refused to do it. She was fired on the spot. I know some Americans are good hard workers, but they would refuse the jobs because of low pay.There also is a law The EEOC, that you jobless can apply for the jobs that the illegals are doing and if you qualify and the employer will not hire you. You can take legal action, What are you waiting for !! Mommy to come give you your allowance.

Answer 4

You are right of course. The difference is that a business can hire an illegal for less and thus make more money.
That in turn depresses the pay rate, forcing Americans to look for other work.
Since the illegals are not making a decent wage they have to depend on social services, emergency rooms for health care and other freebies.
The end result is business wins, all others get the shaft.

Answer 5

You make an excellent point. It is not doing the jobs that Americans object to. It is the wage that is being offered. You can accept a lower wage if you do not have pay taxes on what you are making. It is not the workers who benefit it is the employers. If we want to make a difference in the number of people coming into and staying in the country illegally we need to start holding employers accountable.

Answer 6

Since the days of r. reagan and his "union busting" habits the wages for jobs such as construction, gardening, child rearing, maid service, and restaurant work has sharply decreased in relation to the cost of living rates.

If these jobs were forced to pay a living wage then Americans would be eager to do these jobs.

With illegals, living in communal style housing, they have several workers pooling their pay checks in order to pay rents and other bills, so they are able to send money home to their families who are on the verge of starving to death.

American citizens are into independent living so they could never afford to rent and buy groceries on these below-minimum- wage paying jobs.

.

Answer 7

Of course Americans will do the jobs. They were 100% done by Americans before illegals came and undercut the wages on these jobs and were willing to work for less.

This whole business about "jobs Americans won't do" is a big lie. What they really mean is the fat cats can pay less for workers who will accept outrageous working conditions and pass on the social costs of illegal immigration to the taxpayers.

Answer 8

That phrase is BS.

I'm sure plenty of the 800,000 Americans who lost their jobs in the *last two months* (as of June 25, 2007) would be very happy to earn money at a cannery or playing janitor.

Answer 9

The pro illegals that's who! Americans should be given the opportunities first, last and always. It's the employers who are looking for a cheap fix and so he hires the illegals who aren't paying taxes and sharing a one room efficiency with twenty of his relatives and can afford to work for nothing. The illegals will go home if no one is hiring them, feeding, housing, giving medical attention and special considerations in our schools. So employers of illegals are the big bad wolf, they need to be hunted down and thinned out! Think of what Oklahomans are doing, I applaud their stand!

Answer 10

You are absolutely correct. Americans will do whatever jobs we need to do to make better live for our families. That excuse they use is a smokescreen and sadly, even our congressmen/women fall for it. If they pass this bill, the only jobs left for Americans to do will be the ones that the Illegals wont do.