I've had it.

[BeerSwillr]

I've had it with illegal aliens, illegal immigration, and the complicit attitude of US immigration policy!

My 16 year old has been looking for a summer job for the last 3 months, what he's found has been surprising. Not only are there no summer jobs available, there are no jobs available, period, for someone with no experience.

So you say he's not looking hard enough? That the jobs are there, you just have to find them. HA!

All the entry level, low skill jobs that would normally be taken by teenagers and young adults during the summer are being taken by illegal immigrants, at least here in Texas. The few places that don't hire illegals have to contend with 10 or more applicants for each open position.

So who is this hurting you ask? Just a few teenagers who will be back in school in a couple of months? Just a few teenagers that will contribute little to the overall economic picture? WRONG!

You know the answer. It's hurting everyone. Teenagers would spend almost every penny they earned, contributing immensely to the overall economic health of the US. They would be in the malls, movie theaters, and restaurants spending their hard earned pay, leaving their parents free to spend their money on something else.

The illegal aliens? They used to maintain a low profile. Now, they don't bother. They can be seen everywhere; mowing lawns, planting trees, roofing & framing houses, working at the lube shack, pouring concrete, gathering at several official and unofficial day worker hang-outs in the mornings (when it would be extremely easy for immigration to swoop in and arrest them.)

Where you don't and won't see them is out spending their money (except for at Wal-Mart.) You don't see them at Bennigans, Chilis, Tony Romas, Cinemark, the mall, car dealerships, etc.

Know why?

They don't have any money to spend on the US economy because they're sending everything except a small subsistence back to Mexico.

The illegals are not here to help us or the US economy. Anyone that says they are here to take jobs that US citizens don't want is being disingenuous.

They're siphoning off millions of dollars a year from the economy. Not only by taking jobs, but a host of other ways; education benefits, medical assistance, government assistance, thievery, robbery, drug dealing, you name it, they're involved in it.

And what is the Department of Homeland Security™ doing about this? They're putting on a dog and pony show.

They're outlining major new methods of monitoring ports of entry, airports, etc. with biometrics, fingerprinting, radar, facial recognition technology, and who knows what else, while at the same time doing nothing to monitor thousands of miles of open space where, apparently, it is relatively easy to cross into the US.

It seems to me that simple reconnaissance flights over that vast unmonitored territory would be able to identify these border violations and put a stop to, or at least slow, this illegal invasion of our country.

The Department of Homeland Security™ is largely ignoring the issue. Illegal entry into the US continues unabated across our borders.

It makes me sick.

What can we do about it? Other than mew weakly and post articles like this on the large wasteland that is the internet?

Contact your elected officials and let them know what you're thinking. Let them know you will hold them accountable. It's all in our hands.

http://www.senate.gov/

http://www.house.gov/

http://www.whitehouse.gov/

[BeerSwillr]

I know I'm probably preaching to the Choir but I had to rant somewhere. I guess I could have just screamed at the TV like I usally do.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

Just about everyone's had it with illegal immigration, but government at the highest levels refuse to listen. They're going to have to pay at the ballot box, and maybe we can start boycotting businesses hiring them. All they understand is money anyway, nation means nothing to these people.

[Conspiracy Guy]

It's bad in Texas but it is spreading. Here in Alabama there are many one bedroom apartments that have a dozen or more illegals living in them sending all their money home. We used to only have the migrant farm workers. But I think now there is a Mexican restaurant on every corner (at least these are contributing). You can't go to a McDonalds, Burger King, or other fast food place unless you speak fluent Spanish.

[Lazamataz]

Bush loves Hispanics; the WH policy is to turn a blind eye towards illegals.

[Steven W.]

I live in an area affected quite heavily by illegal immigrants but my children have had no problems locating jobs ... the only problems are things like dealing with their idiot supervisors who won't let them claim "exempt" for their taxes.

[biblewonk]

I hope you've been watching the Hitler TV show.

[So Cal Rocket]

That illegal aliens take a large number of jobs that displace legal residents of the United States is undisputable.

There's a second issue that also affects the number of jobs available for young, unskilled workers... Minimum Wage Laws! The federal minimum wage is $5.15 (with legislation under consideration to raise it to $5.90). In California the state minimum wage is $6.75. How many more jobs would there be if employers could hire someone at $3.50/hour? Fast-food restaurants, book stores, record shops, clothing stores would hire significantly more employees if the minimum wage were lower.

The libs will argue that you can't make a living at $3.50/hour - but last time I checked working for 40 hours at $3.50/hour paid a lot more than working 0 hours at $6.75/hour.

[Trust but Verify]

They're not exempt from taxes.

[Sloth]

Dang, when I saw the title I was hoping for an opus.

[MatthewViti]

You've hit the nail on the head. This country is heating up real fast and something has got to give. Bush won't do anything with regard to illegals. They are too important to him for 04. Do you have any friends that could give your son a job, perhaps?

[Willie Green]

Greensburg police stop (illegal) immigrants,
but the U.S. Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services
said it wasn't interested in getting involved...

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Hmmm... I beg to differ about their spending habits. From the amount of shopping that I do, I see more immigrants (don't know if they are illegal or not, didn't ask) spending more money on frivolous things than I as a citizen do. I don't know that this characterization is a fair one. But, I do understand that a teenager's income would be totally expendable.

[P.O.E.]

The middle class is disappearing here in the US - being diluted with illegal aliens and jobs outsourced overseas.

[Oberon]

I've had it.

Yeah? How was it?

[banjo joe]

It's not just the money teens earn doing those p/t jobs. This is where a healthy work ethic is born. I've seen college grads hired into my firm, and it's their first job. Do they understand how a business works? Do they have a work ethic? Do they understand merit increases? Responsibility? I'm amazed that some of 'em have the attitude of "give me the raise first, then I'll learn the additional requirements".

[CFW]

The libs will argue that you can't make a living at $3.50/hour -

They are right. You can't make a living at $3.50 per hour. HOWEVER, teenagers CAN make their gas, mall and movie money at $3.50 per hour. That saves Mom and Dad's money to be spent on other things, but definitely puts the teen's $3.50 per hour into the economy.

[PetroniDE]

Why are they so important to President Bush in '04? They can't vote (legally), and those who do will likely vote democrat (more than once). I don't understand why they are important to him. Can you elaborate on this?

[Puddleglum]

This is sad. Whenever I got to a place like McDonalds and they have English-second-language help, they often get my order wrong. I did not know they were displacing teens - I only thought they were taking jobs teens wouldn't take.

[SouthernFreebird]

Here in NC as well...our beautiful mountains are starting to look like a poor mexican town with all the run down homes and shops they set up.

Looks like our Goverment is gonna wait till we can't take it any more and do something ourselfs!

Hey Mr President......My children are American!! we don't want to live in Mexico and speak Spanish......Peotect us and enforce our laws or we'll keep electing till we get someone who will!! Show a little muscle here on our own shores!

[TheRightGuy]

Here in the People's Republic of Illinois the legislature just passed a bill granting illegal aliens who complete high school in Illinois in-state resident status with regard to tuition at state universities.