Until civilized populations started declining, they always provided the full spectrum of labor (from skilled through unskilled); we didn’t import Mexicans to pump gas or work on garbage trucks sixty years ago (and Europe didn’t either). Our current immigration policy is to simply inundate this country with people from anywhere in the world in an attempt to create a rival for two Asian giants with over a billion people each; it is obvious that “work” isn’t even factored into the equation; these people are needed as consumers (of housing, public education, Wal-Mart goods), not workers (we already have very high unemployment). Nancy Pelosi made it very clear that a government check was as good as a paycheck; we’re the ones funding those “government checks”.
I don’t accept your premise. It was not declining that caused it (only around the margins) - it was progress.....compared with other populations.
If you want to pick the vegetables and mow the grass and make the beds at Motel 6, knock yourself out. I don’t want to, don’t know anyone who wants to, and yet I want vegetables and grass and hotels and motels to be available.
Again, we need to focus on the higher end skill jobs....and not conflate the two issues.