Posted on 03/31/2005 10:58:50 AM PST by atomic_dog
WASHINGTON – Nearly two decades after a sweeping amnesty for illegal immigrants gave Gerardo Jimenez a ticket out of a San Diego County avocado orchard, he worries that the unyielding tide of low-wage workers from Latin America might pull the economic rug out from under his feet.
"There are too many people coming," said Jimenez, who supervises a drywall crew that worked all winter remodeling an office building three blocks from the White House.
Jimenez's concern reflects an ambivalence about immigration among established immigrants in America. It also challenges a key assumption of President Bush's proposal for a massive new guest-worker program: that the United States has a dearth of low-skill workers.
In Atlanta, house painter Moises Milano says competition for jobs is so stiff among immigrants that house painters' wages have been flat since he came to the United States in the late 1980s. They're still $9 an hour, he said, which would mean they've actually fallen significantly when adjusted for inflation. And yet many more aspiring house painters arrive every day from Latin America.
Similar concerns can be heard throughout low-wage industries that Latino immigrants have come to dominate during recent decades, including housekeeping, landscaping, janitorial, chicken processing, meat packing, restaurants, hotels and fast food.
Many of the newest arrivals find work with a breed of subcontractors who put together crews of illegal workers and transport them to job sites across the country.
Jimenez says his company competes for contracts against subcontractors using illegal workers who are prepared to work for less and who don't expect health insurance, overtime or other employment benefits. It puts pressure on his employer to cut labor costs, he said.
"I don't think the government wants to control this, because some people are making a lot of money and because illegals are doing a lot for the economy of this country," Milano said.
"Why would you pay somebody $20 an hour when you can pay somebody $10?" he added. "When I came up (to Atlanta), it wasn't this crowded. Back then, maybe you had 10 people applying for a job. Now, it's 100."
A growing population The nation's illegal-immigrant population increased 23 percent in the past five years, to 10.3 million from 8.4 million, according to a new report by the Pew Hispanic Center in Washington, D.C. Illegal immigration was up 70 percent in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, where Jimenez works, according to Pew demographer Jeffrey Passel.
Bush's guest-worker initiative, though still in the conceptual stage, is strongly supported by business lobbying groups such as the Essential Workers Immigration Coalition, which includes hotel and restaurant owners, home builders and landscapers. The groups argue that there aren't enough low-skill workers in America, and they cite Labor Department figures indicating a coming crunch in the labor market.
President Bush agrees.
"People are coming to our country to do jobs that Americans won't do, to be able to feed their families, and I think there's a humane way to recognize that," Bush said as he outlined his proposal a year ago.
But many labor economists and immigration experts dismiss the notion that a shortage of low-wage workers exists, saying Bush's plan would help sustain a glut of low-wage workers that is pushing down labor costs in an expanding array of U.S. industries.
Bush's plan "basically takes all the low-wage labor employers say they need and wraps it up for them with a big ribbon," said Jared Bernstein of the Economic Policy Institute, a Washington-based research group that focuses on how economic policy affects low-and middle-income workers.
For decades, some experts have worried about the economic impact of the continuing mass influx of low-skill immigrants on all immigrants.
"Immigration of unskilled immigrants comes at a cost to unskilled U.S. workers, particularly established immigrants for whom new immigrants are economic substitutes," the congressionally mandated U.S. Commission on Immigration Reform concluded in 1997. The panel was headed at the time by Barbara Jordan, a civil rights leader and former U.S. representative from Texas. Jordan died in 1996.
Sustaining mass immigration of low-skill workers for several decades has increased profits for employers and lowered costs for consumers, but it also has undercut wages for those workers, said George Borjas, a professor of public policy at Harvard University.
"If we are concerned about the amount of income inequality in society and about the economic well-being of those at the bottom of the distribution, the current practice of importing large numbers of less-skilled workers will not do," he said.
Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, told Congress last year that the federal government, through immigration policy, can either expand or shrink the size of the nation's low-skill labor force. He suggested that restricting immigration might benefit those low-skill immigrants already in the United States.
"Employers would respond in two ways to a tighter labor market," said Krikorian, whose Washington-based organization calls for restrictions on immigration. "First, they would raise wages, increase non-cash benefits, and change working conditions in order to recruit and retain a sufficient work force.
"And second, they would look for ways of making their available workers more productive so as to make up for some of the jobs previously done by foreign labor," he said. "The result would be a smaller number of unskilled workers, each earning higher wages." Conflicting concerns Jimenez, the drywall supervisor, comes from a small town in the Mexican state of Jalisco, known for producing tequila, mariachi musicians and immigration networks that for decades have pumped many of its young people to "el otro lado" – the other side of the border.
He is uncomfortable complaining about competition from workers who are as young and eager as he was in 1986, when he finally made it to San Diego after being turned back five times in six nights by the Border Patrol.
He knows the newcomers are simply trying to escape what he escaped, find what he has found, and make the climb he made as he honed his skills as a "drywallero" in the U.S. labor markets, where employers eagerly await their arrival.
"The migrants come because of hunger, because of necessity," he said. "But I would benefit if someone imposed order. My work would be worth more."
Jimenez frets that his company – which pays good wages and offers insurance and vacations – might not be able to compete against companies that don't. His company laid off 100 workers in February, a move he blames partly on a seasonal slowdown and partly on competition from companies that cut costs by using illegal workers.
"This is the problem that all the companies like mine have: How are they going to survive against this whole boom in competition?" he said.
The construction supervisor at the remodeling job where Jimenez worked dates the local construction industry's conversion to a Latino labor force to the mid-1980s, when he himself was supervising a drywall crew here in Washington.
"We were all good old boys back then," said Coleby Cyrtmus. Back then, he said, most of the workers commuted from rural areas well outside the Washington metro area.
Then the company hired an immigrant from El Salvador.
"He asked if he could take home some drywall mud, and at night he would punch holes in the walls of his apartment and fix them, so he could practice," Cyrtmus said.
Soon the number of Latinos began its sharp ascent.
"Maybe a year later, it seemed like half the crew we had was Latino," Cyrtmus said. "Now, it's just about everybody."
The price for installing drywall began to drop about the same time.
"In 1987, I was making $4.50 a board," he said, referring to the 8-by-4-foot panels he installed. Today, he said, the pay is $3 a board.
A need for workers The immigrant influx came at an opportune time for the construction industry, according to industry representatives. They report a simultaneous decline in interest in the construction trades among U.S.-born youth.
"It's hard work. You get dirty, it's unsafe, you've got to pass a drug test, show up on time, and work in all kinds of (weather) conditions," said Stephen E. Sandherr, chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America.
"We've had situations where we've had our contractors at our local chapters basically run out of the building at high school career fairs because few people are interested in their kids going into the construction industry," Sandherr said.
Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, the Bush administration's point man on immigration in the House, sees the competition among immigrants as a positive ingredient in a dynamic economy.
Cannon, whose spirited defense of undocumented immigrants as a blessing for the U.S. economy and culture has won him honors from Latino rights organizations, waxed enthusiastic about his own experience in the marketplace of immigrant labor in Utah.
He talked about his decision to replace the roof of his house. The low estimate, he said, came from a contractor who "uses labor that I suspect is not here legally."
Asked what he would say to legal immigrants such as Jimenez and Milano who fear losing their livelihoods to newer illegal immigrants willing to work for less than a living wage, Cannon responds with unabashed enthusiasm and candor.
"The point is, in America there are no guarantees. . . . So, Gerardo, if you're not going to make it in drywall, then you might want to try something else because you've got all the skills," he said.
A moment later, Cannon acknowledged the difficulty that the existing immigrants are likely to face.
"Those are the people who are going to be caught in the bind," he said, "and they're going to have to make adjustments and improve."
So, Gerardo Chris, if you're not going to make it in drywall politics, then you might want to try something else because you've got all the skills,"
This is one voter that the Republicans have just about lost.
Bush calling the Minutemen vigilantes while he was entertaining his good old buddy,Vicente,did it for me.
Bush betrayed us all as far as the illegals go.He's got his and the heck with the rest of us.
It is just freakin' amazing, is it not?? The pandering to this illegal, criminal situation is sickening -- and I agree, an excellent opportunity for the lying-left to turn on the Mexicans (would not bother the libs a bit) about two months before the election with a major ANTI-ILLEGAL-IMMIGRATION PLAN including throwing them out, no more government (taxpayer) subsidies -- Ike-style.
Don't laugh - just watch - the Repubs are TOTALLY VULNERABLE here big time.
Yes the Repulicans are vunerable here big time. But the Left would never do an anti-illegal immigration plan. After all, they want more of them here, because they can then use them as a power base by "giving" them things.
Now, look to the Constitional or the Dixie Parties to try something like that. Truthfully, I wouldn't mind seeing the Constitionalists in power.
It is good to see an article pointing out that even legal Hispanics are not all that excited about unlimited mass immigration whether it is legal or illegal. They know perfectly well that it hurts the people on the bottom of the economic totem pole the worst and that be them.
Now, look to the Constitional or the Dixie Parties to try something like that. Truthfully, I wouldn't mind seeing the Constitionalists in power.
And you will NEVER see them in power....
We only have 2 legitimate parties...you want change, work inside the parties.
That won't work any better for conservatives in the Republican Party than it has for blacks in the Democratic Party. We're trapped on "The Plantation" and they take you for granted cause they can't believe you'll vote for the other party.
If you want change, put the other party in power.
It's kind of like disciplining your kids. It's not fun and you don't want to do it but you must do it for their own good.
Actually, there are more than 2 legitimate parties. There are only two prominant parties. And those two have seen to it by any means possible that other parties do not come to prominance, do not get national coverage, etc. The 527 groups are showing now what independants can do. I trashed my republican registration last election. They don't own me and don't have a right to my vote. Neither do they have a right to their position organizationally. They can disappear tomorrow and be replaced by another party as easily as the whigs disappeared. The pubs are selling us all out for their own agenda just as the Dims have done. And they won't yeild to correction by anyone. They're our employees, and they refuse to do the job they were hired for. There are others out there that will. And it's time to start handing out pinkslips.
BTTT
I agree. I am all about voter imposed discipline. I think the GOP is cruising for a bruising in the next couple of elections. I'm going to help fund opponents against the worst of the GOP incumbants in the Republican primaries and if that doesn't work I'm going give money to the Dems. I can't stand McCain, Flake, Cannon, Kolbe, Hatch, Collins, Hagel, Craig and a few others. They are barely better than Kennedy.
If you want change, put the other party in power.
Just like 1992???....and the fact that the other party is mentally insane?
And put in Kennedy, Hitlery, Dean?
you think you'd get the country back?
Truthfully, I wouldn't mind seeing the Constitionalists in power.
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Sadly, it may come that, if that is what it takes to restore A GOVERNMENT FOR AND BY THE PEOPLE. Washington is out of control and being driven by PERSONAL POLITICS and not by the needs of this country and its people, especially as defined by our founding fathers. Well, America is no stranger to revolution, no matter what form it takes, and thinking back to history, only about a third of the people really took action in our original revolution -- the others were either against it, or just did not care. Kinda sounds like today, pretty much. Maybe history does repeat itself.
This country is too great, too grand and has accomplished too much, to let it die at the hands of self-serving politicos.
You can call me crazy but I honestly have come to believe that the Republicans are angling to hand the presidency to a Democrat in 2008 on purpose.
I believe there will be a fairly dramatic slowdown in the economy in 2009 or 2010 and the Republicans are angling to blame it on the Democratic president.
I would not be surprised to see the Republicans run some lame excuse for a candidate like they did with Bob Dole at the end of Clintons first term.
In the meantime they are taking as much money from the housing and agriculture industries as they can stuff in their pockets.
The problem is that the other party can get you KILLED!
"You can call me crazy but I honestly have come to believe that the Republicans are angling to hand the presidency to a Democrat in 2008 on purpose.'
We saw this in glaring colors with Daddy Bush whose reward was Jrs candidacy so I suspect that we will see it again.
The Republicans have taken us down a great spiral as is so all the threats from the Republican slaves are of no moment any longer. The anti-Constitutionalists succeed no matter whether it's a Dem or a Pub; in fact more damage done by the Pubs in recent years.
I can't take seriously an article that doesn't point out the hypocrisy of an amnestied illegal complaining about illegal immigration.
I heard Savage say the same thing recently. Along the lines of "the oligarchs have decided that Hillary is going to be the next President and that is that." Sad to think that he may be right.
I have my own conspiracy theory regarding this unstopped illegal immigration. Since the mid 70's the powers that be have desperately wanted a National Identification Card along with all the concomitant power that devolves to the government with such. This work has been carried on by the bureaucracy - the government managers if you will, who do not change with election. Like that moron Richard Clarke who back in the day would have been tarred and feathered and run out of town. Anyway, a national id has been repeatedly turned down and the vast majority of Americans are dead set against it. I suspect that they may be letting illegal aliens swarm across the border so the American people finally acquiesce to a national ID. They finally got the UK to swallow a national id can the US be far behind?
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