Do you think illegal immigrants are taking American jobs or lowering wages?
Lets keep it polite and not attack each other please.
Thanks
Answer:
I honestly do think they are lowering wages, so far only for low skilled jobs. So far. An example. In my town, ten years ago the contractors paid about $15 an hour for experienced drywall finishers and $12 an hour for experienced sheetrock hangers. Now the wages are $12 and hour for finishers and $8 an hour for hangers. This is entirely due to a sudden flood of illegal Hispanics. Another example. Ten years ago a guy who needed work could always get a job working on a roofing crew. It's hot and dangerous work and paid about $12 an hour. Now, they only pay $8 an hour and you mostly only see Hispanic day laborers doing it. Another example. Local railroads here hire summer help to work on the tracks. It used to pay $10 an hour and was a good job for farm kids and college students. It now pays $6 or $7 an hour. These are real examples.
The illegals will quit coming when the wages in my town are the same as the wages in El Salvador. So far, only labor jobs wages have been dramatically lowered. I think in the next 15 years we will see higher level jobs have wages lowered as the children of the illegals, graduating from schools we pay for, will flood the labor market.
Kent in SD
Yes they are being effected negatively. Immigrants are used to making about $1.00 a day in Mexico. So coming over here and making say 8 bucks an hour for a skilled trade is like gold to them, where an American skilled worker would want 15 at a bare minimum. I believe they are mainly effecting the blue collar industry.
Of course they are, on both accounts. The other damage they are doing is a far greater threat to this country and this is their complete unwillingness to learn English!
I think that it's a bit of both.
yes to both parts of your question
Both
Both. Anyone who is here illegally is stealing.
Yes, I think they are. I have seen it happen. Hope that was polite enough. Good question.
yeppers.....our minimum wage here in TX is still 5.15, thats ridiculous...who can really live off of 5.15? We have TONS of illegal immigrants here.....i drive past about 25 of them sitting on the sidewalks in the morning waiting for someone to come pick them up for a job! Pretty lame!
In some sectors yes, but overall, illegal immigrants are creating more jobs in America.
That's because without the illegals, American companies would be fleeing the US at a much faster pace in order to set up shop in China or India somewhere. Then, every single job of the company would be lost.
But with illegal immigrants providing those companies with cheap labor, the companies can stay here and still hire some Americans too. The companies also pay huge corporate taxes while located here. Revenue lost by the US Govt if they had relocated to Asia.
I would have to say both. They certainly take startup unskilled jobs from American teenagers, and because employers can hire them at a lower wage rate and then not pay taxes on them, there is an impact on not only wages, but our American tax base as well.
They have been around a long time and you would be paying $10.00 an orange if they actually had to pay people a decent wage!
I think it is those who commit a crime when they hire them! For instance, the largest MRE producer for the services was a company in Texas. They had a $94 Million dollar government no bid contract! Think they hired American workers and paid them a decent wage, I mean it is our money! NO! They doctored illegals papers and hired illegals! That is the problem. The other part of it is how the consumer screams when they actually have to pay the real price for produce! Then they scream about illegals! Makes me dizzy sometimes since they talk out of 2 sides of their mouths!
There are jobs such as muck shoveling on ranches where it is impossible to find people to do the work and actually stay there long term. In those kinds of areas, I don't think they are taking American jobs because Americans don't want them and the work has to be done. It's ok saying pay more but then you'll be out of business and looking for work yourself. Unfortunate fact but there it is....
i think these jobs were vacant to begin with, so employers hired anyone who could work continue production and utimately profits and then they realized they could lower wages at the same time and the immigrants will not complain.
blame it on employers.
Yes, on both counts..but we cannot overlook Outsourcing by American Business's either.
Just an example of the Illegals moving out American workers: Meat packers in Detroit Michigan were making 19.00 hr.now with the influx of Illegals they are paying 9.00 an hour.those who had been there for years were now finding themselves "replaced" by cheaper working laborers. Not only did they find themselves out of a job, but they also couldnt find another job in their same field that paid more than 9.00 hr to live on. And before anyone starts with comments about showing the source, just simply look it up on the web...Unchecked Immigration is not good for ANY country let alone America.
No, because the Americans half to get of their butts and make sure to do a job. The illegals are doing jobs americans dont want to do.
Absolutely they are taking American jobs and lowering wages. But remember, it's exactly what the Congress, big business and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce want.
No, I do not think so. Its probably true that they marginally increase crime and burden the tax system, but as far as jobs? No.
Unemployment is below 5%, which to a business owner is considered a 'labor shortage.' Wages have continued to grow faster than the Consumer Price Index. The issue that affects Purchasing Parity Power (PPP) is the devaluation of American currency because of high operating and trade deficits, inflationary monetary policy, investor's lack of faith that real reform can be tolerated by the American voting population, and real economic growth alternatives in China, Japan, and the EU.
With all those things considered, Americans either need to reduce consumption of disposable goods, reduce inefficient government services, or we need to add a whole bunch of people to the work rolls. We could of course start with the about half of Americans who do not currently work or at the very least open up more immigration to skilled workers.
The thumbs down prove my point. We have no one to blame for our downfall except our own entitlement mentality, refusal to get new skills, and demand for "free" government handouts. The dollar is dropping like a rock and it has nothing to do with immigrants!
Yes they are taking jobs. I work in a factory and the illegals were paid the same as I am. When ICE raided and took them out there were 68 legal citizens hired. Just as they undercut many other jobs as in lawn care and construction by being paid under the table.
Obviously, they lower wages and snatch your jobs away to an extent. However, you should think positively about it, they would in turn drive the country's economy due to the increase in intense competition when foreigners compete with them for job,thus increasing productivity.This would definitely bring lots of benefits to the country in the long run =)
they're taking up jobs that most American wouldn't want anyways, the tough, sweaty, dirty, dangerous & handling hazmat type of jobs, it's not only just in the usa, it happens in my country too! & even those jobs are ot available to them because of our tough job regulation with regards to hiring of migrant workers
I think that logic tells us they must be. The immigration issue is interesting because we find supporters and detractors of the president's bill on either side of the aisle.
I'm typically labeled a liberal, but I want some rather strict immigration regulations. I think that jobs are lost and the ones that aren't lost have had a drop in wages because of the fact that we have so many immigrants willing to do the job for less. We hear that these are jobs Americans won't perform, but the truth is that we won't perform them for the paltry wages paid to illegal immigrants. With regard to skilled labor, I don't know if the same is true, that is skilled alien workers are working for less than skilled American counterparts.
I believe that is the reason that many back such legislation, to keep labor costs low. Does anyone else find it interesting to see Robert Byrd and Birch Bayh voting with the majority of republicans on this issue, and Trent Lott and Ted Kennedy voting together in favor of the president's plan?
YES
There are a lot of jobs that citizens could do and should do rather than hire illegals to perform that job. As for lowering wages - no I don't believe that illegals lower the wages for those that are earning minimum wages.
Yes, we all know this, how about lets get them out of our country
well yes and no cuz they take jobs that r bad like dirty jobs and its making life easier but for the leagal if the illegals r well trained then they take good jobs and lower the minimum wages like its 5.00 instead of 8
I dont think they really take American's jobs, because the reason they're exist and get the jobs because lots of the American dont want it, they think its not worth their time unless they get pay more.
Yet the employers rather have the immigrants because they sure are cheaper but too they think it was a good job.
It's more because the employers want them. The immigrants will not come if they cant get the job.
Wages being affected? One way another yes! If immigrants cant stay in US anymore, then business or manufacturing business will move to anywhere they can get cheap labour, so American will still not getting the jobs as there are less manufacturing companies.
Or business owner will "exchange" people to maschineries.
Shops and restaurants will change to self service ones and if they provide services then price will be very high; means more Americans who cant afford to go to good restaurants .
Actually, if Americans realize that it is time for them to work hard, create good and successful business or be proffessionals, while there are enough immigrants who are willing to do the boring jobs: cleaning, cooking, ironing, waitress, mending etc etc , Americans can live very comfortable. Just like Old Feodalistic European days in modern environment.
Americans make good money, immigrants make good money, Americans can spend time for more exciting activities, immigrants can have better houses/life in their own country.
That's what I think.
I rather work, play golf, cook when I like and have some body clean the house & garden and do the washing-ironings.( I dont mind shopping groceries). Dont need to be too rich and run by your business but have enough and live in comfort.
Lowering wages.. plus the low paying job "entitles" the Illegal Aliens to jump onto US Social Services.
Legal US Citizens especially the Middle Class pay for the so called "Cheap Labor."
Both.
The Immigration information post by website user , MyTend.com not guarantee correctness.
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