It’s a catch 22.... Because the Illegals take the jobs the farmers don’t have to pay even minimum wage and because they won’t pay even minimum wage Americans wont take the job..
I used to sell balloons in 95+ degree heat carrying 50 lbs worth of stuff when I was a teenager (90’s). Sometimes I would make a lot (300 in a day) some times a little (5$ a day)... It averaged out to a bout 10-15$ an hour and had friends lined up to do it should any slots open up.
If these farm workers were paying 10-12$ an hour they would have little trouble finding teens and college students willing to do it.
And to that one can add the little fact that Americans/Europeans have to pay taxes, pay for their own health insurance and so on.
This is the reason we see immigrants take over low-paying jobs and cash-businesses in country after country. If there is a business where one has the opportunity to cheat on taxes chances are it will be dominated by immigrants. And thus the little corner shops are replaced by foreign versions, taxis become dominated by foreigners who have no idea where anything is etc...
An American would actually be left with less money than an illegal for doing the same work for the same pay.
You’re right, but there’s another angle. Somewhere between $5 and $10 and hour it probably makes sense for the farmer to say to hell with it and automate everything.
So the illegals are not taking jobs from mythical American farm laborers, but from skilled American tradesmen working for Caterpillar and International Harvester.
And anticipating the next argument, Oh yes, all of these jobs can be automated. If we can automate cotton picking, we can automate whatever this is...
Correction - American's aren't LEGALLY PERMITTED to take the job at the wages offered. "Minimum," after all, means "legal minimum."