[hispanichoosier]

The article should say: illegals are willing to perform work at wages lower than those that are acceptable to native-born Americans. An illegal alien is willing to provide labor at a price lower than the price demanded by native-borns. This is merely a pricing issue. If native-born Americans were willing to underprice illegals, then native-born Americans would get the jobs currently going to illegals. The solution for native-born Americans is either to (1) charge less for their labor (i.e. lobby for a repeal of minimum-wage laws and allow the free market to set wages), (2) punish companies that hire illegal aliens, or (3) find work that requires a higher degree of skill and, commensurately, offers more pay.

I doubt that (1) is a workable solution because too many people are set in their ways and just don't want to believe that their labor is worth less today than ten years ago.

Number (2) is possible, but showing that a manager knew that a person was an illegal alien is problematic inasmuch as the black market in fake papers is thriving and producing high-quality products...oh, and that presumption of innocence doesn't help either.

Number (3) is possible except for laziness. Too many people don't want to go to school to be re-trained...they just want to keep doing what they've been doing for a decade or two despite the fact that their labor is worth less.

If the War on Drugs has taught us anything, border interception will not work because market forces are too strong. Drug addicts have an almost insatiable demand for drugs, and--despite risks--drug kingpins are more than willing to supply their demand. Similarly, American companies want cheap labor, and illegal aliens are willing to provide cheap labor. Increased border enforcement will only lead to more inventive ways of smuggling illegal aliens across the borders.

I'd propose a combination of (1) and (3). I think that the federal minimum wage should be phased out over 5 years. During that time, some federal debt should be floated and the proceeds used to allow native-born workers in labor-intensive industries (such as meatpacking) to retrain themselves in more high-tech areas.

[B4Ranch]

I think the base idea behind bringing in the illegals is to break the unions, get companies to cut back on benefits, especially retirement plans, get socialized medicine going and lower wages which will eliminate the middle class.

Then we will have a nation that fits more in line with 3rd world nations. Two classes of people instead of three, rich and poor instead of rich, poor and the 'comfortable middle class'.

The 'comfortable middle class' are people who don't have desires for their own private airplanes, inhome help, ie servants. They have their midsized lake craft, the RV, a couple of SUV's and the cottage at the summer place, not six homes on four continents with permanently staffed with hired help.

[dalereed]

" An illegal alien is willing to provide labor at a price lower than the price demanded by native-borns"

Thy aren't working cheaper but they are working for cash with no deductions, no comp insurance and no taxes paid.

In construction that's a savings to the employer of over 100%.

[RipSawyer]

(i.e. lobby for a repeal of minimum-wage laws and allow the free market to set wages),
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The Federal minimum wage as it exists currently is a moot point, it is so low that anything less would be meaningless, one hour at minimum now does not GROSS enough before taxes to eat lunch in a fast food place. Over forty years ago when the minimum was $1.25 an hour it would easily have bought lunch for two with change left.