Quote Originally Posted by Fengzi
I have little tolerance for illegal immigrants. Probably because my wife was a legal immigrant and I've lived though the process of dealing with the INS. Something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. So, it really pisses me off when someone who snuck in illegally starts getting all kinds of perks and wants something like a driver's license.

That being said, we really do need some kind of legal migrant worker exchange program with Mexico. A lot of these illegal immigrants work their asses off doing shit jobs that no one else would want and they do it for a lot less than any American would. Are they taking jobs away from Americans? Maybe, but do you really want to pay $20 lb. for strawberries?
First, It is unlikely that eliminating the illegal workforce would drive the price of strawberries up to $20 lb. since the market would probably not bear that price.

Second, your right, americans will not work for the slave wages and unbearable working conditions that illegal workers will put up with. That does not mean they will not do those jobs at all, just not for the piddly wages. I agree that most of the legal immigrants I have worked with in the past have a dynamite work ethic. I'm sure the illegal ones do to but that does not make it right nor does it make it right to blatantly violate the law and hire them in the first place just so your profits will go up.

Third, it drives down wages for everybody, not just the farm workers and as long as it's tolerated in any way, it will keep spreading through all industries, not just the food industry.

And kudos to you and your wife for doing things legally. The INS should spend more time dealing with illegals than picking on easy targets like your wife to boost their numbers.