Should illegal immigrants be allowed to sue their employers?

Question

According to Ann Coulter, via an interview with O'Reilly last night, she claims that allowing illegal immigrants to sue their employers would solve the immigration crisis.

We all know that's one of the key reasons why farms and companies hire illegal aliens to work for them - because they can get away with paying slave wages to them.

In Ann's theory, she claims that if we allowed them to sue for fair wages without deportation, it would force companies to pay everyone equally, including legal citizens, and stop the driving down of wages for the rest of us too. It may also cause the company to think twice about hiring someone illegal, causing less jobs for them here (that means more for LEGAL Americans), and thus less of a reason to stay or come here.

It doesn't sound like a bad idea. The only problem I see with this is giving them too much litigation freedom. Suing first over fair wages, then who knows what else next.

What do you think?

Answer 1

Granting immigrants litigation freedom is absurd. One fact that explains why employers hire undocumented workers is because legal American workers, on average, the highest paid workforice in the world. In light of hightened competition in today s global economy, companies must maximize their bottom line. And what better idea than to hire people that want to work for less than legal minimum wage while not having the right to litigate their employer.

Anne's theory of having undocumented workers sue for fair wages would not stop companies hiring methods nor stop the influx of migrants. One of the benefits to citizenship includes the right to litigate and should not be extended to this particular group of people. If this group was given this right without going through the proper process of naturalization, then it would cause MORE illegal workers to cross the border, as they knowingly no longer fear the threat of deportation while being rewarded the option to earn more money by simply turning to the judicial system that is not intended to serve them in the first place.

Litigation alone is not sufficient to stop the driving down of wages for both the groups. There are many variables, one in particular, is alot of competition in the labour force mixed with outsourcing which explains why incomes have not been going up and this would exist in America even without the problem of illegal workers.

Companies depend on their undocumented workforce to refer their friends and family if and when the company is in need to increase their output. Instead of hiring legal workers that cost more, they rather hire more undocumented workers to maximize their profits. Even with illegal workers making next to nothing in the US, it is still more than what they would make, on average, if they were to remain where they are. That is why more and more they cross the border every year.

Overall, litigation is not a good enough deterrent, it would clog the already overwhelmed judicial system while granting criminals more rights than citizens and would lead defending companies to relocate or declare bankruptcy as many dont have the funds to hire a legit working force in the first place. The solution to the problem is to address the root of the cause which is to decrease the migration flow (I will disclose the details once I make presidency)!...

Answer 2

No, they took the risk. If wal-mart did know and were acting in the manner in which you describe then that corporation should be punished severely. But, the workers kept coming back under the conditions they were working in. They did not come here legally and did not follow the legal means of employment. They should be deported. If they were"locked inside stores while they worked night shifts" then it was their choice to go back for another shift. I worked night shift at a department store. They always locked us in for our safety. I am a completely legal US born citizen. They shouldn't have been granted employment in the US anyway. So overtime is not a problem since they were never legally employed. What overtime? They should be grateful they got paid anything. Should illegal immigrants be allowed to sue their employers? No, they should not be employed in the first place.

Answer 3

Yeah, they don't really have a right to sue anyone for anything. They came here and are letting it happen to them.

The people in the same city or town of the corporations should just file suit against them for their taxes being overpaid, because the corporations have underpaid.

The corporations also lead the illegals to believe that they are paying taxes when they are not. The employer actually pays the taxes for employees. They have it looking like they are taking it out of the illegals checks, when they are just keeping the money because they hire illegals so they don't have to report all of their labor.

Answer 4

I was thinking that too, when I heard what the illegals want. If we gave them decent working condition, the employers wouldn't hire them. I was thinking the best way was not only give them the right to sue, but protection from deportation if they do sue. It's not pay they should sue over , but work condition. Employers in California pay illegals more than the minimum wage. They save money by not paying workers comp and not providing a decent place to work.

Answer 5

I have a modified Coulter system. Let them sue the employer. When they show on their first court date, arrest the employer for hiring an illegal alien and then arrest and deport the alien. Let the lawyers in the illegals home country file suit.

Answer 6

I understand why you feel the concept may work, but in my opinion people who are not legal citizens here should not be entitled to any form of legal protection. There are work visas the can apply for, and if they are here legally then they are fully entitled but when they come here the assume that risk.

My business is resorting to going to the local homeless shelter and asking people there to go to work every day and we start out at $9.00 per hour with no experience! We do this in order to avoid hiring people who are not legal to this country but when you are faced with the lazy culture Americans have adapted to it is very tempting to go out and hire someone who is here illegally just in order to get people to work.

Give me a way to legally work these people and I am all for it! Initiate a program that allows them to become employed legally and apply for their respective visas in the process, that will not only entitle them to fair wages, but also reduce your "illegal immigration" problem because when it comes down to it folks, they are here and adding more by the day. Trying to stop immigration is like trying to put out a burning building with a glass of water. Lets deal with the facts. There are here, they are working, lets figure out how to make it acceptable across the board for them, American employees, and employers alike.

Answer 7

i agree in principle, but don't think this would be a good idea. These busninesses should be heavily fined and then be put out of business if they hire undocumented workers.. but don't give the illegals any more power...

Answer 8

The the American people should be able to sue the corporations for wrongful termination, discriminatory hiring practices, and BREAKING THE LAW BY HIRING ILLEGALS!

Answer 9

No way, that's not the answer. The answer is not allowing them to work here anymore. Enforce our laws!
Force employers to follow the law.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20070705/ts_csm/asanction

Answer 10

I think it is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard...What would be the point? If all these businesses were legitimately sued, they wouldn't be able to operate a business anymore....I am not defending these "illegal" businesses, but I am saying, it would be self defeating....Big companies like Ford and Walmart face law suits everyday of the week, they have set aside millions of dollars for this fund, it is something they take very seriously and know it is something that could put them out of business....In the end, its very difficult to sue a company like Walmart, short of a wrongful death suit or massive discrimination, it wouldn't happen....