It’s always said, mostly by fiscal conservatives, that “They are legally employed in jobs Americans won’t do.” If theses businesses claim they can’t do business without cheap immigrant labor and it will put “60-70 Americans out of work, maybe the problem isn’t legally and effectively getting cheap immigrant labor into U.S. employment, but rather raising the wage so Americans WILL take these jobs, even if the cost of the product goes up. Isn’t that the business way? Isn’t that why we’re paying $3/gal for gas, because oil has hit almost $100/barrel?

Most of the anti-illegal-immigration(how’s that for double negative?!) people are really bigotted and narrow minded people who are more interested in the culture of these immigrants and what they allegedly bring to this nation, rather than an open door immigration policy. But the reality is, there are some inherent problems in this situation, and the extremists on both sides of the issue are keeping this nation from addressing a real problem.

Jim is right in pointing out that the hysteria affecting illegal immigration, is not affecting “legal” work visas for seasonal workers, and that’s a shame. A shame for the businessmen and the immigrant workers, but no one seem to care about the out of work Americans who yes, won’t do this work, because it doens’t pay enough. Maybe the problem isn’t the immigration issue, but the business practice? Just read where the auto industry is outsourcing some of it’s engineering and quality control to China, a long with other companies. It’s the business trend these days. “Cheap” labor is the going thing these days, and the same people who are upset over the treatment of the illegal immigation issue, don’t seem to notice. It’s not about organized labor, it’s about fair employment and trade practices.

Some years ago, when I was an editor of a business publication in New York, we needed a reporter with a specific skill set. The one we found was a Brit. By the time we went through all the hoops required to get him a visa so he could work here legally, he had gotten tired of waiting and told us what we could do with our job, our visa, and what else. Been there, done that. I am not among those who would ignore illegal border crossing, but even an idiot can see that the current system doesn’t work and that the likelihood of our rounding up some 12 million undocumented foreigners, much less finding them, and deporting them is nil. The nativists, cheered on by demogogues in Congress (listening Terrible Tommy Tancredo?) have accomplished nothing - except to increase the hatred level in a society that doesn’t need any more of it.

This has to be the most inept, bungled bureaucratic mess of a government we have ever had. And you know what, they don’t care, it’s all about greed and the flaunting of ALL workers.
Karl Rove’s master plan of destroying our middle class is coming to fruition. Look at the Central and South American countries, is there a middle class, or are a few people VERY wealthy and the rest VERY poor?
Is it any wonder they all want to come here?

But the Democrats are going to lose again if they don’t move toward the center on this issue. Compassion, visas,call Mexico to task, but no citizenship for illegals. We simply do NOT have the resources. Not until every American has health care, food to eat and a roof over their head and a decent paying job.
The gov’t. shouldn’t pretend they’re doing something building a border fence. As Gov. Richardson said, if we build a 12 ft. fence the immigrants will build a 13 ft.