Illegal immigrants choice: work underground or leave

SFGate.com ^ | August 27, 2007 | Tyche Hendricks

[period end of story]

Jorge S., an East Bay grocery store clerk, worries about his family's future if the Bush administration follows through with its declaration this month to crack down on employers who fail to verify the legal status of their workers.

"Everyone at the store is worried about it. We're all in the same boat," said Jorge, 53, who invented a Social Security number to get hired eight years ago and would not give his last name for fear of losing his job. "I'd be in a very difficult situation if I lose my job."

Jorge is among hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants in Northern California who are working without proper authorization. Immigration experts say that American jobs are the biggest magnet for illegal immigrants and that the new policy of enforcing a 20-year-old law barring employers from hiring undocumented workers is an important step in reducing illegal border crossings.

"It's the only thing that could have a deterrent effect," said Wayne Cornelius, director of the Center for Comparative Immigration Studies at UC San Diego. "The overwhelming incentive for coming here is the prospect of being employed in jobs that invariably pay far more than low-skilled jobs pay in Mexico or other sending countries."

Some advocates of tougher worksite enforcement say that if the new policy is seriously enforced, it could not only deter prospective foreign workers from coming without authorization but make life so miserable for illegal immigrants already in the United States that they will decide to leave.

"You'll see it become much more difficult for illegal immigrants to get mainstream jobs," said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies in Washington, which advocates reduced immigration, both legal and illegal.

[Greg F]

A refundable fee on money transfers out of the country would work, IMO. Refundable when(if) they file an income tax return.
___________________________

Sounds good. They come for the money, not to be Americans. Hit them where it hurts.

[World_Events]

sniff....sooooooo sad, heartbreaking.

NOT

it’s bush’s fault

[Travis McGee]

[gubamyster]

ping

[counterpunch]

But lettuce doesn’t grow underground.

[gopheraj]

Yepper! Not a tax but a refundable fee. No problemo if they file a return. heh heh heh

[Mamzelle]

re: I had an idea this morning that I haven’t seen floated. Why not require proof of legal residence or visit in the country before we allow people to wire funds?)))

TAX THESE REMITTANCES. TAX THEM HEAVILY.

I like your idea, too--

[NRA2BFree]

"Everyone at the store is worried about it. We're all in the same boat," said Jorge, 53, who invented a Social Security number to get hired eight years ago and would not give his last name for fear of losing his job.

All we have to do is find out what store he's working at. It sounds like ICE could make a big bust at that store. He's a criminal invader who has stolen someone's identity for their Social Security number. A felony!!

[2ndDivisionVet]

Demand a border fence! Build it NOW!! Beef up the border patrol and close our borders! Stop the DREAM Act!!

U.S. Senate switchboard: (202) 224-3121

U.S. House switchboard: (202) 225-3121

White House comments: (202) 456-1111

Find your House Rep.: http://www.house.gov/writerep

Find your US Senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Republican National Committee
310 First Street, SE Washington, D.C. 20003
phone: 202.863.8500 | fax: 202.863.8820 | e-mail: info@gop.com

Take a look at their hidden agenda: http://www.mexica-movement.org