This Story was originally broadcast by Ed Bradley on 60 Minutes Dec. 11, 2005
My note: We must create a way for Mexican Nationals and others to work in our country in a legal capacity. Is is imperative for humanitarian and economic reasons. Green cards and other methods are not enough and do not serve the numbers of people that we need to have here. Please write your representatives supporting a Guest Worker Program.
Excerpt from 60 Minutes:
"The University of California’s Wayne Cornelius, a national authority on immigration, predicted ten years ago that no matter what the government does to fortify the border, Mexican workers will still keep coming as long as there are jobs here for them. "They can earn more in an hour of work in the United States than they could in an entire day in Mexico – if they had a job," says Cornelius. The government says crossing the border through the desert is breaking the law, but Cornelius says the U.S. is sending a very mixed message. "The message that we’re sending them is if you can get past the obstacle course at the border, you’re essentially home free. You have pretty much unrestricted access to our labor market and there are employers out there eager for your labor," he says.
About six million illegal migrants are now working in the U.S. The meatpacking industry is one of the many that rely on illegal immigrant labor. Seven years ago, the Immigration Service cracked down on illegal migrants in plants in Nebraska and Iowa. Mark Reed was in charge of the operation. "What we did is we pulled together the meatpacking industry in the states of Nebraska and Iowa and brought them into Washington and told them that we were not going to allow them to hire any more unauthorized workers. Within 30 days over 3,500 people fled the meatpacking industry in Nebraska," says Reed. "We proved that the government without doubt had the capacity to deny employment to unauthorized workers," says Reed. What happened next? "We were invited to leave Nebraska by the same delegation that invited us in. The bottom line issue was, please leave our state before you ruin our economy," says Reed. "The reason is that by putting that factory out of business, not only do we put the unauthorized workers out of business, but we’ve put United States citizens out of business and we destroy, we have the potential to destroy, an entire community," says Reed. Reed says that this illegal work force is "essential" to our economy. So what are taxpayers getting for the billions of dollars spent on border security? "Getting a good story," says Reed. But not a secure border. "
Please read the full story here..
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4 comments:
Thanks for sharing that. Something really needs to be done--illegal workers aren't our enemies--we benefit from them as much as they benefit from being here.
I wouldnt say it is a double standard. We have a lot of jobs here it is true. But we arent offering them to illegals that would be a double standard. But I agree with you something needs to be done about them working illegally. I thing a "guest worker" policy would be the same thing and illegal and we would see an increase in "guest workers" than we have now in illegal workers.
Border control is costly and is one of the first logical things to think of but not necessarily the best.
Military action...hmm maybe Obama could comment on the hurt that these illegal immgramts are cause on thousand of lower income families who cant obtain work, but the jobs they can take are taken but illegals. HAHA okay that was too much humor.
This issue is much more than border control and it certainly isnt about dubbing all current illegals citizens...we would have a run on america.
But two points. Illegal workers are bad, but at the same time what was one of the biggest reasons for the industry revolution in this country. I would submit that it is poor immigrants who needed work. Chinese and others on railroads, Irish and Spanish in the inner cities of the Northeast and recently free slaves in the south.
We are where we are today because of poor yet intelligent and industrious immigrants. The only difference is now they come illegal because of the policies we have in place. Could we possibly make policy changes, mandator work verifications with stiffer punishments for employeers.
Tough issue. Thanks for brining it up T.
My seven-year-old car was hit and totalled by an illegal immigrant in a brand new car. He didn't have ID, insurance, or license. I ended up paying for the car and having my insurance rate raised as a result. No, he wasn't my enemy, but he certainly cost me and my family a great deal of $$$, stress, time.
that is terrible that happened. Even with the uninsured motorist insurance it is still quite a bit of money.
Proof something needs to be done but the question still lingers what? Fence up and keep em out, go hunting for wabbits? or just accept em all as citizens. It is a great debate and question.
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