Then what is the logic in "amnesty" which makes the cheap illegal labor legal and they no longer qualify for their jobs because a legal must be paid minimum wage? The last blanket amnesty legalized millions of illegal who then could live better off welfare or had to find legal jobs ---their employers had to find a whole new set of illegals to replace them. If cheap labor is needed there could be a temporary worker program or something else. I'd rather see welfare ended first before we import many more low-skilled people.
Your editorial rightly points to work site enforcement as a vital element in the effort to stop illegal immigration. However, your inference that lettuce might cost $5 a head if we enforced our laws defeats your purpose. Before employing a fear tactic favored by open borders advocates, why not ask yourself how much of the cost of a head of lettuce goes to pay field workers? According to the University of California, is costs around 22 cents to grow and harvest a head of lettuce. Of that, about 15 cents goes for farm labor. If we doubled the wages of farm workers, the cost of a head of lettuce would increase by fifteen cents -- even less if labor saving machines are justified. For labor costs to force lettuce to $5 per head, farmers would have to pay field workers $280 an hour. At that rate, it would be the kind of work "every American would want to do."
The problem with illegal immigration is not that labor costs too much; it is that growers compete in a commodity market. If one grower can outdo another by using illegal labor, then his profits will increase. Inevitably, all growers must do the same thing to survive. As recent studies show, illegal immigration is driving down the wages of millions of Americans, while at the same time increasing their taxes. To stop this downward spiral we must control the borders and police the work site as well.
Answer: Toss out all illegal alien slaves, and don't be a tightwad when it come to paying American workers a living wage.
I am sure you are right in that statement, however, the solution is not to allow more illegal immigration but to reduce the government redistibution of wealth to those in this country that have done nothing but leach off the producers.
If we were to reduce or eliminate the handouts, I am sure there would be plenty of hungry American workers lined up to do these jobs.
I can say to that farmer, your food is not that cheap anyway - at least not to me. And I can say to that clothes manufacture - your clothes are not that cheap either - not to me. But who was doing these jobs before they came - someone was. Where are those people!!
I can also say to the American people. You WILL pay for these cheap goods (that aren't cheap). You will pay dearly. You may think it is cheap at the checkout - but the government presents the bill in the form of income tax, property tax, state income tax, sales tax, etc. You will also pay with the destruction of this country.
I personally would rather pay a little more for my produce (I don't think it is necessary, but I would) and be sure that an American is getting ajob and I am not having to support an illegal alien that cares nothing for this country. As for as agricultural workers, as in field work, I am not opposed to a temporary worker program. And PLEASE DO NOT CALL IT A GUEST WORKER. That is so ridiculous. But they must come, sans family, and return when the work is done. Also, if cheap human labor is not available, I believe our American ingenuity will invent many more mechanical answers to the problems. But why should anyone invent a machine to harvest a crop when no one will buy it. They would rather hire an illegal and let the taxpayers foot part of his bill.