How will the Obama administration handle the illegal alien problem?

Ugh. I've picked almost everything under the sun. Cucumbers, tomatoes, apples, corn, strawberries, asparagus, raspberries, blueberries, snozberries, you name it.

It's funny that a lot of people will look at these workers and assume that they are "illegal". A lot of them within the agricultural industry are getting into unions and migrant farm worker programs initiated and run by the governemnt.

But I mean, yeah. There sure are an awful lot of immigrants who have entered the USA, "illegally" or otherwise. It's kind of, ummm... an American tradition. They came by the thousands "illegally" to Ellis Island, and Halifax Pier.

I've been in favour of legalizing and re-patriating "illegal" immigrants for quite a few years now. I do not wish to see mothers deported and separated from their children.

 

Have you picked those things for 10 hours a day in 100 degree weather for years on end?

I highly doubt it. Stop trying to undermine their work.

Also, they are pretty much all illegals here, or migrant workers who just got into the country, who might as well be illegals.

 

The illegal alien problem?
What illegal alien problem?
Haven’t you heard the economy is so bad in the US the illegal aliens are returning home on their own because the economy is better in the countries they come from than it is here in the US.

 

Contradiction in terms.

Re = again
Patria = home or place of origin
Repatriate= home again or returned to place of origin

When I repatriate it will mean returning to Brazil, not getting a green card. But I'm sure you're headstrong enough to continue using your own personal terminology, in contradiction to the rest of the world's.

 

If we're talking about making illegal things legal, why stop at immigration?

How about stealing, bank robbery or even murder?

Just think of how many family members are traumatized and stigmatized by one of their family members doing something illegal and I’m sure even some mothers are separated from their children.

Let’s free everyone from the prisons and have no more talk of things being illegal!

 

Up until fairly recent history all these so-called lower end jobs were done by American citizens.Whether it was mowing lawns,picking fruits etc. etc. etc.Americans are willing to do the work if they are paid and treated fairly.--Also there is the small issue of population,in 1970 the US had about 200 million people-now it's over 300 million.Thats a big jump for only a 38 year time period.--I don't care what type of job programs,or whatever the Obama administration plans,it would be meaningless if 20 million illegals are allowed to stay.It would only serve to benefit big businesses,which is NO different from the disaster that is the Bush/Cheney administration.Why is the US now so much more stupid than the rest of the civilized world?

 

Couldn't be because our obscene military budget is sucking away funds needed for things like education?


x

 

There isn't a fixed number of jobs in the country. The unemployment rate doesn't increase with a growing population.

 

:cheers2: That's a hard concept to get across (because of the Malthusian bias). Same with "resources."

 

When I mentioned the US increasing population,I did not mean to imply that it has to do with the job market.But I can see how it was misunderstood,the way I originally wrote it.They are seperate issues.----I simply meant the US is getting too crowded,and illegal aliens simply add to this problem also.If they are given amnesty instead of 20 million illegals,where does it end?60 million?100 million more?Check almost every democratic nations immigration policies,they do not tolerate illiegal immigration period.And the US did not in the past and should not now.

 

I've worked the walnuts, almonds, peaches, prunes, hay and other ag. Sure there are Mexican workers, but there is work for anglos too. Unless your kids are no longer willing to do it. I got a work permit at 12. If the kids today did that instead of playing video games they wouldn't have the weight problems they do.

I've also cleaned toilets, made beds, swept floors, waited tables.

The only thing I've had a problem with in Calfornia in the last few years is the necessity to be certified bilingual. It shouldn't be necessary. Most of us that have worked shoulder to shoulder with the immigrants have a basic understanding of Spanish/Mexican. You pick it up as you go along.

 

Yeah, and they've been so very kind to their indigenous people. Amnesty was already granted in the eighties, did your style of life diminish?

 

I've done it. I enjoyed it. Nothing like being outside focussing on getting a job done, without office politics to fuck the whole dynamic up. And I did it in 110 degree weather sometimes for twelve hours a day, depending on the crop and the weather forecast. And you know something those of us that have done it our job satisfaction at the completion of the harvest was probably way higher than you white collars when you made a big deal by lying to people. We at least knew we were providing a valuable commodity, and doing it well.

 

Not very well stated, but true and something to think about. Mexico has a better climate than the US, lots of natural resources, large country, coastal ports, why isn't it a world power? Unlike Canada it has a long growing season, huge tourist trade why is it ranked way below Canada? That's something me and my immigrant coworkers have talked about a lot. And it generally washes out to politics in Mexico are corrupt and only a few get rich, and they aren't very smart so they sell out to the US and prostitute their citizens instead of developing what wealth and resources they have.

 

Ehh.... I work do 10 hour days in a greenhouse. You're preaching to the choir.

 

Yes, actually. I have.

But I'm not trying to undermine their work. I've worked alongside "illegals" in the fields. It's hard work, no doubt.

 

Oh yes. We had this discussion in another thread.

No, I keep making the mistake unintentionally. I keep wanting to mean that we "patriate them to the country they are presently in", which I don't think there is a single word for.

Thanks.

 

But, there are a fixed number of resources.

 

A lot of Western countries' wealth is from the interest on loans they've made to third world countries. We continue to capitalize on their debts from decades ago.

 

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Out of curiosity... when and for how long?