The Effect Of Immigration On Jobs
Washington PostAccording to the economic models, it’s a no-brainer: a surge of low-skilled immigrants should increase the supply of such workers, driving down wages at the expense of working-class Americans.
Sen. Byron L. Dorgan (D-N.D.), explaining why he opposes legislation to allow more legal immigration, said recently: ‘I don’t think you need a professor to understand that when you import substantial cheap labor, it displaces American workers.’
But recent research suggests that the economic impact of immigration is not so simple. The effects are difficult to disentangle from other factors that have dampened wage growth for most workers in recent decades, including new technologies, the decline in manufacturing jobs, the drop in unionization, globalization and recessions.
Yes, an influx of immigrants has helped depress the incomes of the lowest-skilled workers in recent decades, many economists agree. But they argue about the magnitude of the effect; some say it’s big while others see it as slight.
April 18th, 2006 at 1:06 pm
I say let’s not take any chances.
NO AMNESTY!
NO GUEST WORKERS!
April 18th, 2006 at 1:06 pm
It would be ‘nice’ if this were ‘just’ about ‘jobs’. But to look at this abomination in soley material terms cheapens and narrows the view. It is best to look at it with a view to right and wrong. Heres a curious thing. I can get a $175 ticket for fishing without a licence in a local lake which I help do clean up at 1 weekend a month etc. A mojado fishing in our job pool not only gets no fine, but is invited by people who have no authority to make such an invitation and their kit is funded against the will of those who suffer most from the poachers. You can run the same numbers on hunting. I noticed at our county courthouse that the filing fee for adoption for a foreigner is $5. To adopt an American, $49. These are all details I recognize, but…who ordered this pizza? I dont want to pay for it!!!!
April 18th, 2006 at 2:12 pm
“Yes, an influx of immigrants has helped depress the incomes of the lowest-skilled workers in recent decades, many economists agree. But they argue about the magnitude of the effect; some say it?s big while others see it as slight.”
Harry Truman said it best. “Its a recession when your neighbor loses his job, its a depression when you lose yours.” Back in the 80s when unions were really starting to feel the corporate battle against them. They had a slogan “Buy American the job you save may be your own.” The fears behind that slogan have came home to roost. The foundation of the middle-class, manufacturing is gone to outsourcing. The second middle-class tier, construction is now under attack by insourcing. The systematic destruction of the American middle-class by corporations and their lackeys in government is almost complete. While many white collar folks still believe their jobs are safe, it’s only a matter of time.
April 18th, 2006 at 3:41 pm
Consider this: In the news conference held by Senators believing that a compromise had been reached on Senator - Minority ???Leader???? Harry Reid of Nevada implicated the MGM Grand Casino as an employer of illegal aliens to work in “kitchens” and as “maids”…
As a member of the ‘Bar’ and a sworn member “Officer of the Court” he should have reported this employer to ICE and other Authorities for (1) Investigation, and (2) Procecution…
So much for enforcement!
As a former member of the Nevada Gaming Commission, he is ‘in the know’ when it comes to knowing ‘who’ the illegal alien employers are in Las Vegas and elsewhere in Nevada…
There again - So much for INTEGRETY!
What a HYPOCRATE!!!!!
April 18th, 2006 at 3:58 pm
Let’s be clear, let’s call this what it is. It is not immigration, it is an invasion. They do not come here to be american, they come here to be mexican. It is time that we stood up to these people.
I think that hiring an illegal worker should be a felony. I beleive that we shoudl round them up & ship them home. Finding them isn’t hard. Go to a home Depot any day of the week. Go to the welfare office, the hospital emergancy rooms. They are all crowded with mexicans that have no business in our country.
This is our country. I am ready to fight for it. It is time to take back our country & our jobs. Roofing, COnstruction all used to be good paying jobs that supported American families, until the cholos from mexico came here.
They are ruining our country & they turn everywhere they live into places that look like mexico, has the squalor of mexico & they breed like vermin. Clearly they breed because they are being told to breed, to gain power by simple numbers. Since they don’t have to pay for their kids welfare, food, medical or education, why not?
It is time for anothe baby boom in the USA, but this time, of legally born americans from parents legally here as Americans. Maybe the best border security that we could have is to bring the troops from the middle east home & invade Mexico & take it over. Mexico has plenty of cheap oil, great real estate to be developed.
It is time for Americans to Rise up & defend their country. If our govt will not do it, then it is time for the citizens to do it.
Would we allow 200 million Chineese to do this? How about 200 Million English, or Germans? No? Well if they can’t come here what makes mexicans any different? LEt’s flip this, could 200 Million Americans jsut move to Mexico & take up residence & over run their country? Hell no, they would shoot you dead at the border. Do they have open borders with their southern neighbors? hell no. What is good for the Mexicans should be good enough for us. Their borders are closed on penalty of death, so should ours.
I say that we stand up this year. We banish Cinco D Mayo from being celebrated in our country. That we start to take back our nation from the theives that violate it’s laws like cock roaches.
April 18th, 2006 at 4:36 pm
During the telecom fall out of a few of years ago, I was a victim of it and lost my job. Being an Engineer, I am acquainted with the construction and building codes in the industry and soon found myself scheduling an interview with a local contractor for the position of an Inspector/Foreman of OSP Construction.
I met with an officer of the company at the local McDonalds and over coffee, we discussed my job qualifications and being happy with my experience, he asked me if I spoke any spanish. I said “No”. He responded that it did not matter, because his workers had one individual on the crew that could struggle through English. We got into his car and we drove to the jobsite. On the way, he told me that most of the field workers he employed were from Mexico and that most of them were illegals. He made a joke that “most of them will scatter if you ask about their green cards”. After meeting the crew he offered me the position at $22.00 per hour, which I reluctantly accepted, being the times as they were. When my start date came around, I reported for work only to be told that they had settled on another candidate. Not even a phone call to me mind you!
After leaving dejected, I took it upon myself to drive by the jobsite and check out this ‘new candidate’. After asking a few misleading questions, I found out that the new ‘candidate’ was hired on at half the rate that I was offered, a mexican and an illegal! I was furious. I called the immigration authorities. Six months later, this illegal was still employed, while I was filing for bankruptcy.
So you fucking idiots in Washington may be bullshitting some of the dumb masses out there, but your secret is not safe. To say they (illegals) do not negitively effect our economy is to me an act of treason aqainst this great country and those who love it. I know, because I am a true-life blue collar victim, you BASTARDS!!! Don’t worry, the polls will speak for themselves, you spineless dip shits!
April 18th, 2006 at 6:34 pm
To MGC This part of your story was the clincher…” a mexican and an illegal! I was furious. I called the immigration authorities. Six months later, this illegal was still employed, while I was filing for bankruptcy.” Sorry to hear that. Hope things turn around for you. Till then, hang on like the rest of us and best of luck to you.
April 18th, 2006 at 8:58 pm
wow! i cant believe how much shIt has come out your mouths… in the first place why dont you blame some “american” company for giving your job away… oh yeah, you’re right they are going to pay you $20 an hour to wash some dishes… jajajjajajaa!!!
secondly, obviously this hasn’t become an immigration issue but rather an anti-Mexican bashing party… why cant you guys just be like Canada and sit there like 2nd grader whose been told to SHUT UP…! Immigrants are not only MEXICANS(OH YOU BET IM SAYING THIS WITH A LOT OF BALLS)!!! They are comprised of central and south americans as well as chinese, japanese, polish, germans and other such races… Heck, why dont we erase “united states” and put Germany as this country’s name… jajajjajajaa…!
thirdly and lastly, you “guys” claim that you guys are paying for us to live here… HAHAHA!!! That’s the biggest load of shit… From the 35-36 million latinos living here in the “us” no one seems to mind where the money they pay for taxes goes to… lets just say(35 million times 500 dollars in taxes = 175 billion dollars)… oh, not to mention the other immigrants that are here as well… wow! do i hear silence on your behalf… what is that you say they cant pay taxes because they are illegal??? wait, the “american” government has got you covered… ever hear of individual taxpayer identification number(ITIN)…? Better yet ill leave the link so you can think of another mindless rant… http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96287,00.html#what
Oh and if you cant find the section… (What is an ITIN?
An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) is a tax processing number issued by the Internal Revenue Service. It is a nine-digit number that always begins with the number 9 and has a 7 or 8 in the fourth digit, example 9XX-7X-XXXX.
IRS issues ITINs to individuals who are required to have a U.S. taxpayer identification number but who do not have, and are not eligible to obtain a Social Security Number (SSN) from the Social Security Administration (SSA).
ITINs are issued regardless of immigration status because both resident and nonresident aliens may have U.S. tax return and payment responsibilities under the Internal Revenue Code.
Individuals must have a filing requirement and file a valid federal income tax return to receive an ITIN, unless they meet an exception.
YEAH THAT’S RIGHT… I WENT THERE…!
I THINK ILL JUST LEAVE RIGHT ABOUT NOW, ILL JUST BE THE BIGGER MAN AND JUST WALK AWAY FROM THIS ARGUMENT(OH SORRY, IDIOTS)…
April 18th, 2006 at 9:01 pm
oh, this goes for unknown american… i suppose illegal immigrants took your education away too… gather your information and then learn how to fucking spell…!
here’s a recommendation, try Hooked on Phonics…
April 18th, 2006 at 10:27 pm
To everyone who would try to defend illegal immigration: I hope that you open your eyes before its too late…if you dont, then I hope that all consequences fall on your ilk. Just in case you try to dismiss this, here’s a statistic I recently picked up from an Arizona politician. If you take all the counties on the border with mexico and form a new State out of them, you’d instantly have a State with the most crime in the Nation.
I also wanted to point out some of the flaws in the arguments used to defend the concept of amnesty…
1. 12 million people cannot be illegal.
1.a. I am sorry but I must have been asleep that day in math class when
they announced that past a certain number logic starts to break down. If a
gazillion people break the law, its called anarchy…Is that what they
really want? If it is, I would wager they will regret it…
2. Our economy will collapse if we deport all the illegal aliens.
2.a. I do not pretend to have taken economics, but I did take science
and nature abhors a vacuum. LEGAL immigrants are stagnant waiting in line
to enter this country the right way and they should be given the first
right of refusal for any jobs currently held by illegal aliens. I have no
doubt that if you were to give the folks in line the opportunity they would
jump at those jobs.
3. You cant just deport 12 million people.
3.a. um, I bet we can, if we put our collective minds to it. Besides they
didnt get here all at once, they came one at a time, and we should be able
to send them home they same way. The American people are willing to
wait however long it takes as long as we see the process working.
4. The only way to fix this problem is through amnesty (e.g. guest worker).
4.a I’ll admit that is one way to deal with this issue, the lazy way.
Besides, we tried that back in the 80’s and it obviously didnt solve the
problem. Instead, it only sent the message that it might happen again. A
small, albeit vocal minority would like to see just that; however, I would
caution that you shouldnt overlook the hitherto silent majority of
citizens in this country and how we feel about rewarding law breakers. Or
will we all recieve a get out of jail free card?
5. This is a human rights issue, and if you dont agree, you’re a racist.
5.a. If this is a human rights issue then we should speed them home and
help them free their oppressed countrymen so they can get about the
business of building their own perfect society there. As for being labeled
racist, that is the position of last resort when the few other cards they
have to play are easily trumped by reasoned thinking. This charge is quickly losing its stopping power the more it is used to blatently try to divert
attention from the real issues at hand.
I think I speak for a vast majority of American citizens when I say, if
our goverment doesnt begin throwing all illegal aliens out of this
country, then we, the people, will begin throwing out our goverment.
Here’s what I would like to see happen….
Congress should pay absolutely no attention to protestors who are here
illegally or anyone waving any flag other than a US flag. The US Congress
exists to represent US citizens only. Just because someone is “aqui” does
not give them an exemption to our laws. We are a nation of laws as well as
a nation of immigrants–concepts that have to be taken together because
they are not mutually exclusive.
Build up the border security to something approaching that of US
airports.
Next, make it a felony + high fine to hire an illegal immigrant. Put the
onus on the employer; ignorance of the law is no excuse, ignoring the law is not excusable. Federal law will invalidate any existing state or local ordinances which currently disallow local law enforcement agencies from enforcing and investigating infractions of US immigration laws. Any non-citizen who is apprehended in violation of immigration laws shall not have the right of trial–dont forget that trials are a privilage of citizenship, period. Any citizen found to be harboring, aiding or abetting an illegal alien shall be guilty of felony conspiracy. Any illegal alien found in this country after a certain date will forfeit any and all hitherto enjoyed privilages and shall be immediately returned to their country of origin. Any illegal aliens
currently incarcerated in US custody shall be immediately returned to
their country of origin.
Any country of origin that impedes the repatriation of their citizens
shall lose any favored nation trading status, aid packages and loans they
currently enjoy. In addition, any non-participating country shall be not
forgiven of any outstanding debt and, if treaties allow it, that debt shall
be payable immediately.
Any child born in this country to illegally immigrated parents shall NOT
be considered a citizen of this country.
Add language to the law that will obviate the 1982 Supreme Court decision that forces State supported education of illegal aliens children
(PLYLER v. DOE, http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&navby=case&vol=457&invol=202)
If Congress does not have the backbone to pass such a law as this, then
put it before the people and I guarantee that we shall. If Congress does
nothing to stem the tide of illegal immigraton AND to repair the damage
already done, then as citizens of this country, I and many other
like-minded individuals would be completely justified to withhold payment
of our taxes; using in our defense the fact that the laws of this land are
not being enforced equally and therefore we are not being properly
represented.
We ‘citizens’ are America!
April 18th, 2006 at 10:36 pm
Proud Mexican
Illegal immigration includes people from all over the world. But it’s also a fact that most illegals are Mexicans. If that seems racist/Mexican bashing to you, to bad. Facts are facts. You are like so many others who want to confuse legal immigration with illegal immigrants. They are not the same. Don’t lump legal Hispanic /Latino residents with illegal aliens. I would suggest you do some research on the actual costs of illegal immigration. Your statements are completely false.
April 19th, 2006 at 12:30 am
Proud Mexican,
Viva La Aztlan! We see clearly thru your false patriotism to the US. You are a phony coward & just as dumb as the rest of your 3rd grade intellectual partners back home. You are such a moron that you don’t even have a clue! Go back to la Raza & mexica for more of your brainwashing. You best rebuttal was a typo that unfortunately I couldn’t fix after the fact.
Here are some more facts.
FACT: the vast majority of illegal INVADING ALIENS are MEXICAN. Your own country as as well as INS data supports that the majority violating our borders are MEXICAN fool. PROVE OTHERWISE OR SHUT THE HELL UP!
FACT: We are paying a huge cost as AMERICANS supporting your sorry asses & I am tired of it. While costs of goods might rise, our social services bills would PLUMMET. I agree, we should take away your jobs by sending to prison those that hire you.
FACT: If you have a job you want done, & you can’t find anyone here LEGALLY to do it for what you want to pay, you have two choices. Increase what you pay for that job or do it yourself. Breaking the law & hiring stupid classless trash is not the answer.
Fact illegal workers do NOT pay what you try to pass off, I guess you been sniffing la Raza glue again. Where that so, there would be no national debt in this country you birk.
The day is coming when we are going to kick YOUR RACIST ass out of our country. That’s right, you are the racist. You do not come here seeking hte American dream or to be a part of America, you come here seeking to extend the border of Mexico by violating the soverenty of the USA, & breeding like vermin to try to gain the political power that you cannot obtain any other way.
Well you have awakened a sleeping giant. We are not going to tolerate your invasion anymore. You are a pestilence upon this nation no different than any other. Simply put, Go HOME or face the consequences that await you.
April 19th, 2006 at 12:37 am
Quote of the Proud Mexican
“They are comprised of central and south americans as well as chinese, japanese, polish, germans and other such races?”
This only shows further your stupidity & lack of an education.
NONE of the groups you mentioned above are “races” They are NATIONALITIES you moron. Here’s another clue, MEXICAN isn’t a race, NEITHER is Latino. They are both Ethnicities. Don’t you know the difference?
There are only 3 Races of people. NONE of them is MEXICAN or LATINO.
Come back when you graduate 4th grade. I think that is when they teach social studies & science about Race & genetic traits of the races……
April 19th, 2006 at 4:52 am
…Well, on the bright side of things, I note that a good number of Asslanders know where to come to get a good thrashing. Good work up there, Patriots! …And to you proud mexican-do you think its possible to be a ‘Proud Manichean, and a Catholic at the same time? If you cant find the answer to that question within the expansive horizon of your own mind-why not seek and find yourself a Jesuit to answer it? I know that when I was an illegal alien living in mexico-I would have never walked around with a swollen chest calling myself “Proud American”. Such things only can occur in thouroughly debased souls. We’ll be praying for you!
April 19th, 2006 at 4:48 pm
on the contrary…! ill be praying for you and you’re endless(idiotic) rants… too bad you go through 20+ years of schooling, just so you can be turned down yet again… just because you think you should be paid $20-@25 dollars for washing dishes… jajajjajajaa…!
you guys should just go Father McDowell and confess your sins on y’all knees…
YOU GUYS ARE JUST PLAIN IGNORANT… I THINK ITS ABOUT TIME Y’ALL GET OFF SENSENBRENNER JOCK STRAP…
wait, where i was going in trying in pretending i was white… jajajjajajaa…!
Samuel Ellis should have never opened the gates to your fucking grandparents on that island…!
April 19th, 2006 at 10:20 pm
Puto.aka.proudMexican - We do not need to be on Sensenbrenners jock strap becuase the law is already on our side. Hey, didn’t you hear, apparently hundreds (if you trust the mainstream media) of your pallet making countrymen where busTed up and deported to that third world buzzard waven cesspool known as Mayhico today…. Pack your shit, it’s DEPORTATION TIME PUTO!!
April 19th, 2006 at 11:01 pm
Notice how the illiterate mexican can’t even express himself without profanity?
Here is a clue for you. Profanity is the crutch of a crippled mind…..
Nobody expects $20 for washing dishes. We just want OUR kids to have jobs that you low life scum sucking vermin steal. Go home or face the consequences that await you. If you think we were angry at the Taliban, wait till we come for your sorry soul.
April 20th, 2006 at 2:07 pm
Quote of the Proud Mexican
?They are comprised of central and south americans as well as chinese, japanese, polish, germans and other such races?รข??
Oh yea? I just happen to be Cherrokee & German. Show me germans streaming across our border by the millions, pal, I’d like to see it!
:/
April 20th, 2006 at 8:44 pm
Proud Mexican…the name in itself is an oximoron. I’m sorry I didn’t understand your blog because I don’t speak Spanish……jajajajaja….oh I forgot the j is h in that language. El mexicano es muy triste porque el tio y la tia no pueden venir a Unidos Estados! Viva los gringos!!
April 26th, 2006 at 6:37 am
All I have to say is, mexicans do no harm in this country, although it is like every race, we have the one’s who just don’t want to obey the laws! The subject has been brought up about immigrants taking the jobs of people here in the US, well if and when this immigration law passes, I WANT TO SEE THOSE AMERICANS TALKING SMACK, WORKING THOSE FIELDS IN CALIFORNIA, WORKING IN CONSTRUCTION, LANDSCAPING, BEING COOKS AND ETC. FOR LOW WAGE PAY! IMMIGRANTS TAKE THE JOBS AMERICANS DO NOT WANT BECAUSE OF THE LOW PAY AND THE HARD WORK!!!!!! I WANT TO SEE WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN IMMIGRANTS ARE NOT IN THIS COUNTRY ANYMORE? IMMIGRANTS COME HERE FOR A REASON, THEY WANT TO BECOME SOMEBODY IN THIS WORLD, THEY WANT TO BE THEIR CHILDREN’S ROLE MODELS, THEY WANT TO GIVE THEIR FAMILIES A GOOD LIFE! I ASK MYSELF, WHY NOT LET THEM WHY BE A** HOLES?? WHEN IS THE RACISM GOING TO END…..
April 26th, 2006 at 6:55 pm
It is NOT racism to protect one’s nation’s soveriegnty. It is not racism to want jobs for our citizens before your citizens that came here illegally. It is not racism to say that we are a nation of immigrants & we will take many, just as long as they come in the right way, thru the front door, not under fence in the dark of night.
You cry racism, but answer this. What makes Mexicans that want to come here for low pay & just to have a better life, BETTER or more deserving than anyone else in the third world that can’t come here simply because they were born on another continent? because they are too far away? You talk of racism, but it is the mexicans, AZTlanders & mecha that are the true racists. It is YOU that are the racists. You hate blacks, you hate whites, you hate jews.
It is the mexicans mostly that are harming our society. Those low paying contstruction jobs will pay more when they have to OBEY the laws. It is a falacy to think that you all come where to work low paying jobs. I have asked at the home depot how much one of your countrymen wanted to come dig some holes. He wanted $10 an hour! I asked several just to get a better idea if you really were coming to work low paying jobs. The answer was no. $10 an hour is more than many wage eerning americans make & they pay taxes to boot. You do not. So $10 factored for unpaid taxes turns into nearly $14 an hour. Not tooo bad for low paying work I say.
You say they aer just coming here for a better life, why not make a better life in YOUR country? Why not take back your country & FIX it vs ruining ours? Simply put we cannot endlessly absorb every person that wants to come here. Simply can’t be done. There is not the resources to do so.
If a mexican is in this country illegally, THEY ARE BREAKING OUR LAWS. SO that already makes them a criminal. When your people are not here illegally, Our kids will finally be able to get jobs in fast food & restaurants, & car washes & construction & janitorial. Because they will have to hire americans & they will work the jobs.
Look back into history mexican, you will find that WHITE, BLACK & many colors of American’s worked the fields & picked crops. I grew up on a family farm bucking hay, thinning beets, picking tomatoes & moving irrigation pipe. It is how I financed my fun during the winter & school years. I funded college by working the fields.
Tell the 16 Million unemployed americans that they won’t work. Here is a fact. We as America should care for OUR POOR, OUR TIRED, OUR HOMELESS BEFORE we care for yours. Sorry, but charity starts at home. Leave our country & see what happens to it. Or start the great civil war that your AZTlan zombies speak of & see what happens. You will go home. Voluntarily, involuntarily or in a body bag should your people incite civil unrest, But you will go home. The choice is yours to make. Make it before we have to make it for you.