Unskilled Immigrants Hurt Our Economy

Last week I wrote a piece in which I took a hard line stance on illegal immigrants. Most of you agreed with me. A few emailed to tell how off base I was.

There are some well educated people on both sides of this issue. That is what makes it so interesting to me. It's not about racism or some underlying hatred of foreigners. At least it is not in my case.

There are some very good reasons for us to enforce the law, insist those who break the law are punished and deported and to secure our borders. This is not just a border state issue, it's an American issue.

Steven Malanga wrote a wonderful piece in the City Journal about how a handful of industries get low-cost labor, and the taxpayers foot the bill when it come to illegal immigrants.

America does not have a vast labor shortage that requires waves of low-wage immigrants. Even if we did, who are we to allow people to exsist in the shadows and work for an unfair wage. That's exploitation and it's not what this country is about.

We are about to raise the minimum wage. That makes unskilled legal labor more expensive. It also makes illegal labor cheaper and therefore more tempting. That increase will spawn a whole host of additional problems.

The minimum wage is not supposed to support a family. It's not supposed to be a career. It is an entry level wage. A person is expected to enter the workforce at the minimum wage and work to educate, train and better themselves. Thereby rising above the minimum wage level. No, it's not easy. That why it's called work.

The problem is many low wage workers are not interested in bettering themselves. They expect their minimum wage job to pay for a house, car, children and any other bills they incur. When that paycheck fails to do so, instead of working to earn more, they turn to welfare and social-service handouts. Illegal immigrants do the same thing and tap into that same pool of money provided by those who do work and earn their money.

Right now we have more people taking money out of these welfare programs then putting money in. People know they don't have to work to survive. There is free money if you are unskilled and don't want to work. I'm not saying we don't need compassion for those who need help getting on their feet. Yet I believe that if an able bodied person wants shelter and food to eat, they should earn it. With the additonal drain on the system from those who are not here legally, we must take action now.

This immigration issue has put the spotlight on some festering American wounds. It about time we look in the mirror and decide if we are going to be the hard-working nation of our past, or be takers of government hand outs who sleep while America decays.

I suggest you read Steven's article