How much illegal immigration to the US is caused by..?

Question

Free trade agreements that are not?

kfhgpf I am not blaming illegal immigration on Americans .. people who enter the US or any other country illegally are responsible for their actions.

But I am very annoyed at the self-righteous attitude you have about Mexico and other 3rd world countries being corrupt and ignoring your own country's corruption and exploitation of the 3rd world.

About soMEone .. just so you know .. I like America and Americans a lot and I will be the first one to say that much of the troubles of 3rd world countries are from their own corrupt politicians and predatory rich rulers.

But the US govt has supported that system (including the CIA and the military assistance) and transnational corporations have profited from the exploitation.

Roadkill ..
I filled for an IRS issued Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. It is a 9 digit number that always begins with the number 9 and the 4th number is always a 7 or 8. ITINs are generated like this so they are not confused with SSNs.

And most of the the Mexican economy is owned by about 120 wealthy families, the State, and foreign transnational corporations.

Answer 1

Free trade agreements as you point out are anything but free. For trade to be genuinely conducted on a level playing field, workers would attract the same wages in Mexico and they do in the more prosperous US.

The idea of free trade is essentially to allow big business free reign to purchase raw materials and labor wherever it can get them most cheaply, which invariably means in poorer countries with high levels of unemployment, low per capita incomes and loose protection laws and few or no trade unions.

This was true before NAFTA, and has become even more relevant since, but I am not sure that free trade is the cause so much as wealth distribution on the one side, and the American Dream on the other.

If NAFTA has contributed to the problem, it has only done so by making it even easier for big business to exploit the global economy, thus creating even more inequality in the distribution of wealth.

The other point, is that as the party of Big Business, the republicans have no qualms in turning a blind eye to employers taking on illegals - it is good for business, and it busts up unions.

A legal immigrant enjoys the same legal protection as any other citizen after all.

In summary, very little illegal immigration is caused by free trade agreements, except in so far as they perpetuate the uneven distribution of wealth that makes the US a favored destination.

Answer 2

I have had to rethink on some of this. Only because another YA member brought it to my attention via email.

I think that the Free Trade agreements played a part with illegals coming. But then being reminded that there were around 3 million given amnesty in 1986, and several amnesties given in between to other ethnic groups, as well as Bush Senior giving another round of amnesty to more illegals while he was in office.

I would have to say that it has to do more with the continued amnesties given. Look how many are in the country now expecting another amnesty to go through. Even Bush Junior thought it was a sure thing.

Edit: Wow thumbs down for pointing out that America had illegals in the country long before NAFTA came along, and were given amnesty then. I can't believe you people. NAFTA may have increased the illegals into coming. But it the AMNESTIES that they have always been after.

Answer 3

Sigy, you know I'm strongly supportive of our laws and liberties and hate to blame our people or government for the crimes of other nations and their people.... BUT!!! You, dear, make a tantalizing point.

It seems I see and hear more about this daily and am less and less certain what the heck is going on with it. Especially NAFTA. I hear on the one hand that the economy of Mexico has grown 5 times since 92, that the inflation is down, per capita income is up, and on and on. BUT...

Ask individuals and you'll hear stories of devastation in the farm sector, pockets of wealth (adding to the already out-of-control polarizations of wealth and income), permanent displacement and other nightmares.

My cranial jury is gathering data and, as such, is still out. I intend to head to Mexico for a few months to see firsthand what the devil is really going on. I respect DAR's answers as his supporting data always bring Harvard-level clarity.

He insists that few things are more important to the immigration issue than eliminating NAFTA. I'm just not sure how to apply my energies against it.

...

Answer 4

The US government has had backdoor agreements with Mexico about immigration since 1954, before Nafta and FTA. What better way to ward off another revolution in Mexico than to encourage its people to flood the US?

The US government has a very, very long history of these kind of dealings from China to Russia to the Arabs. It's how they do business.

For instance, the USA has given away to the Mexican government, hundreds of millions of dollars....this year alone over 50M. Now where is it going?

There are people in Mexico, who right this very minute, are in peril due to flooding. Vicente Fox has the audacity to ask for "help" for these people, his own countrymen. He and his government have more than enough money from us alone to deal with the situation.

Business as usual in the USA and every government on this planet

Answer 5

Quite a bit actually. Many factories (Maquiladoras) were built on the border of the US and Mexico to feed American consumerism. This attracted millions of Mexicans from other parts of the country. Many of these factories are now moving the China and other east Asian countries, leaving the Mexican workers with no work. Instead of returning home, where there is also no work, many are trying to cross into the US. For more information look up Maquiladoras

Answer 6

Nothing whatsoever is stopping Mexico from improving themselves, creating industry, educating their people, building their own products, implementing rule of law, creating fair rules and regulations, and inventing new and exciting useful products. In fact, Mexico has existed a hell of a lot longer than the United States has.
Unfortunately, mexico can't seem to ever get its act together, while the USA has. It's not fair that we do all the work and all the innovating, while mexico gets unfair benefits and sends over it's parasites to suck us dry.

Answer 7

NAFTA is the main cause of much of the undocumented immigration into the USA. NAFTA has allowed Heavily subsided U S corn to flood the Mexican market.

Displacing native farmers by underselling Mexican corn, Actually American Government Subsidized corn cost less than the Mexican cost to plant corn.

Mexican Corn is a mainstay of the national diet. hundred of thousands of Farmers were displaced, and their livelihood stolen by NAFTA. So they came north.

The 1st step to stop the immigration to the North, is to repeal NAFTA Period.

Answer 8

You can not stop the labor union bustin legislators. They are just letting you complain while the majority of taxpayers are going broke. You can not stop the government they could blow you up but can they settle the dispute? I think we all know that they can fight but they have trouble compromising even to their own constituents.

Answer 9

I have talked to workers form Mexico who have come here to the usa to work in building trades. In Mexico they made in American dollars ( $18 per week) Here some make $ 500 per week. Plain and simple But they need to come here legally. But if there own Government would help its own people maybe they would stay home. The Mexican people need to stand up to there government and demand it becomes better But it is easier to come here and demand equal rights because in Mexico they will shoot you DEAD!!!! America is America because our Ancestors Fought and Died to make it the Land of the Free and Home of the BRAVE!!!!!!!!! Stop Blaming America ! Why do We always have to fight everyone else's battles and still have to take Crap from Cowards who won't stand up for themselves!!!!!!!!

Answer 10

Roughly 70%. Mostly from the Southern Border and beyond.