[underwiredsupport]

President Bush generally favors plans to give millions of illegal immigrants a chance at U.S. citizenship without leaving the country, but does not want to be more publicly supportive because of opposition among conservative House Republicans, according to senators who attended a recent White House meeting.

Bush's infatuation with 12-20 MILLION illegal aliens is beyond just the need for a cheap labor pool...please read on.

I work in the California Produce Industry.  I received a call from a client today, who stated that the Yuma, Arizona lettuce deal, which just finished was a real challenge.  His company harvests lettuce.

(Here is a brief recap about how this works.) We use large harvesters, which move through the lettuce field, at a speed of about 2-3 mph...and there are a "crew" of about 40-45 workers who makes these rolling harvesters function.  About 15-20 walk the field.  These are the cutters.  It is tough work, "stoop labor" and after cutting the lettuce, it is bagged and then placed on a conveyor.  The conveyor brings the lettuce to the center area of the harvester, where 10-12 ladies wrap the lettuce, tape the bag shut, and place in a box.  Then, another conveyor moves the full box forward where another 6-8 men stack the boxes on flat-bed trucks or trailers, which move along side the harvester.  It is a very efficient process.  One of these crews can cut and wrap almost 15,000 head of lettuce per day.  It is an amazing process to see in action.

The point of the story, is that there is a huge shortage of workers.  What has happened, is that for many years (30+) it was an accepted fact that illegal aliens would work primarily in the fields, exclusively.  But, as Border Patrol enforcement within the states has subsided, to a level approaching zero...the workers have moved away from agricultural jobs, and into better paying construction jobs. 

A "stoop harvester" can earn around $7-8 per hour.  But a framer can earn $15-20 per hour.  It was an easy economical decision for the illegal's.  Now, the result is a tremendous shortage of workers to harvest lettuce, vegetables and other "stoop harvested" crops.  Now, even tree fruit and citrus pickers are difficult to find, again for the same reasons.  Simply better money in other job markets in the US economy.

The big lie being told is, "These folks are doing the jobs Americans refuse to do."

The truth is, the illegal's are doing jobs Americans refuse to do, for the wages being offered.

Market conditions will prevail.  If construction labor goes back where it belongs, more like $25-30 per hour, then Immigrant Labor will be steered back to the "stoop labor" jobs that they performed for so many decades.

But, for any of this to work, it requires a full REBOOT of the system.

Apprehension of Illegal's.

Detention and processing.

Deportation back to Mexico.

And then...legitimate and legal migration, to fill the jobs which require the labor force.

We have exported our manufacturing jobs to China.  We have moved the factories, the tools and dies and the entire process overseas.

Are we all going to get jobs as web designers?  I think not.

Perilous times are now upon us!

Shame on you President Bush...

[avacado]

---The big lie being told is, "These folks are doing the jobs Americans refuse to do." ---

It is not a lie if those higher paying construction jobs are being filled by illegal Mexicans. Do you think Americans are applying for those jobs at that pay rate and getting turned down?

[moehoward]

fantastic post.

[melt]

"These folks are doing the jobs Americans refuse to do."

Therefore, I nominate this guy for U.S. President--- because he's willing to do the job an American refuses to do.

[tertiary01]

I can't wait until they take the jobs of all the RNC operatives. I'm sure they will do it for less, as well and who cares about the law anyway.

We can thank Bush for a miminum of 30 million more Dem voters who will take to the streets on cue.

[Minutemen]

Get rid of "scab" illegal laborers,and learn to do without salad!

[jonrick46]

This situation has had many years in the making. I would not blame President Bush for a problem that will take time to correct. You have to admit that the illegals coming up from our southern border did not have an ocean to cross. As you will see as you read further, there is a huge attractiveness taking that walk across. We should have started building a physical wall long ago. Now we may have little time to do it.

One thing that few people think about is the huge advantage the illegal alien has by staying off the data system. Everything they make is tax free. They can save a larger share of their earnings which draws tax free interest in a bank. If they can save enough, they could live on their savings in Mexico for a long time. If one could save $10K every year for ten years, that would be a nice retirement for ten years worth of work. (I wish I could do the math here, but I need to get off the FR. I will do it later when I can.)

Another thing is these illegal aliens seem able to obtain health care. With health care no longer a cost, it frees up more of their wages for savings. A smart Mexican could work in America for a relatively short time and take his savings back home to Mexico for a good life where the cost of living is cheap at an age where they would really be young enough to enjoy it.