At Last! All Illegal Immigrants to be expelled.

[offwegotoneverland]

That doesn't make any sense. Let's say an average illegal worker makes $5.00 per hour and picks 30 lbs of apples per hour. The new worker will make maybe $10 per hour. The difference is spread over 30 lbs, so that's an increase of 16.6 cents per pound. Tell me why the increase would be over $1 per pound without illegals picking apples. Plus, I'm o.k. with temporary farm workers during picking seasons. We should just make darn certain they return when the season is over.

Canada, like England, doesn't face the same issues as the U.S. on the same level because they don't share a border with a poor nation, well, not yet.

16.6 per pound is the difference just for the pickers...it moves up the food chain (ok sorry for the pun) with the packers sorters etc who now make more. Plus is productivity constant? Most temporary farm workers get paid by the bushel etc not the hour due to lack of choice they accept those conditions will others?

Plus you haven't factored in the cost of housing standards (have you seen the dorm conditions migrant workers will tolerate?) etc. an increase in labour of 50% will impact the bottom line of any farmer in a big hurry and you'll see price increases beyond the straight line increase of .16 to compensate for the people who now pick 15lbs an hour for 10.00 instead of 5.00 for 30lbs.

Many illigeals start as temp. farm workers so how do you control that? Are you going to pay a government employee to count heads because you better add that salary to your apples or your tax bill whichever you prefer.

And if you think we don't get people overstaying Visa's in this country (or the UK) we do. It's just not limited to one country that creates the visibility the US has.

Immigration acts in some ways a sorting force...if you want to improve your family's chances for the future so badly you'll pick apples, then whatever is ready to be picked next and live in hovels for 5.00 you want it much worse than someone who won't do that and is already here.

This sorting has created the North American culture of being judged on what you do and not where your from...I'm all for controlling immigration but you also have to use some common sense. All or nothing rarely ever works.

 

[Charade]

Really, though, about the "Minutemen" I find it absolutely perfect that they were sued over their activities in Arizona, and, the immigrants who they abused, ended up receiving title to the minuteman's ranch, and then about $100,000 from one of the minutemen personally. Total amount was about $800,000. Sweet Justice.

Link please. I've not heard of any abuses. But I support their effort 100 percent!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[momof2inPA]

..Immigration acts in some ways a sorting force...if you want to improve your family's chances for the future so badly you'll pick apples, then whatever is ready to be picked next and live in hovels for 5.00 you want it much worse than someone who won't do that and is already here.

This sorting has created the North American culture of being judged on what you do and not where your from...I'm all for controlling immigration but you also have to use some common sense. All or nothing rarely ever works.

I'm not saying that there shouldn't be any immigration, but there should be zero tolerance for ILLEGAL immigration. When I was younger, there were immigrants allowed in for the harvest season, then they were shipped back to Mexico. If someone stayed past their work visa date, he was arrested and taken back. Now, if law enforcement arrests an illegal on a minor offense, he is sent on his was to stay in the U.S. Of course, there should be immigration allowed to become U.S. citizens as well.

As for your ongoing apple picking price example, there shouldn't be illegals working as sorters and packers. If everyone is saying illegals only work the jobs U.S. citizens don't want, these jobs wouldn't qualify, they aren't that dirty or back breaking, and we should pay our own citizens a decent wage to do these jobs. And if our citizens refuse to live in hovels, good for them. You know, child labor would make the apples cheaper too, but that wouldn't make it right.

Yes, it will cost money to ensure that immigrant workers don't exceed their work dates, and some of the money could come from the Homeland Security funds that are already being circulated to regional law enforcement.

It'll take time, but we should start with small steps to control this problem that has gotten so out of hand.

 

[Tigger_Magic]

All this talk about increased enforcement of immigration laws and deporting illegals is just political hype to soothe the frayed edges of the conservative base. If this administration were truly serious about immigration reform, they would start by adding many more immigration judges. They can't deport anyone until a trial is held and the immigration courts are so backlogged now that border patrols practice "catch and release" -- snag an illegal, give them a ticket and let them go. It could be years before that case comes before a judge.

Sadly, this is just more lip service to a problem that is ignored by both sides of the aisle for economic, social and political reasons. No one is ever going to do anything serious about this because if Social Security is the third rail of gov't. then immigration reform is the underground cable supplying power to the third rail. You don't tinker with either one if you value your political future.