[citizen]

. I've never heard of anyone paying less than minimum wage, and usually way more, for construction labor.

Thanks for helping my point! Of course construction wages are much above minimum wage, even for the Illegals. That's the point, they can make real good money while still undercutting the legal, regular workforce.

I read an article about a Southern Cal construction Illegal. He made money enough to live here, send a sizeable amount back to Mexico, take two months off to travel back to Mexico around Christmas, and pay $2,000 each way for a coyote to smuggle him across the border.

Picking fruit and mowing lawns? A few do that, sure, but many take good jobs from Americans.

[Texas_Dawg]

That's the point, they can make real good money while still undercutting the legal, regular workforce.

OK. So let's just let them come legally and compete that way. Are you seriously saying that just by changing their label from "illegal" to "legal" that they won't still be able to do the job for cheaper than the average American?

[buwaya]

Why shouldn't an American want to do what this guy is doing ?

Because they have better things to do. Because they prefer easier jobs, even if they pay less. Because the type of American willing to do the job is much less productive for the money.