My competitors keep hiring illegals!
In a May 14 Ask FSB, a business owner complains that his competitor is hiring illegal workers. Would you hire illegals for your business? Do you think it’s an unfair advantage? Would you report a competitor who hired illegal workers? Post your thoughts.
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DiggThe same thing happened to me. I’m a Architect in Miami FL. I lost my job and wondered why no one else in the office was laid-off during that time. We’ll because they are all illegal except for one other guy who is hanging by a thread and worried everyday.
My employers excuse was for many reasons he cannot afford to pay my salary. Several of my projects lost budget or have been cancelled. Meanwhile several guys in the office who can’t even say the word “Architect” properly get to keep their jobs. To this day I have never had a conversation with any of these guys because they can’t even follow the words coming out of my mouth.
I’ve only been out of work for a couple of weeks but as everyday goes by I get more pissed off as to what happened to me. I honestly would like to report this place but I as well have a friend in one of those guys. If I don’t find anything in a month I doubt I will be as relaxed about this.
A final note to people who are promoting the hiring of illegal workers are idiots. People come to this country and work harder than the people who are here legally, get job and send all of the money out of the country. Where does this ignorant logic come from? You are not only illegal, but you are stupid as well and not contributing to making the economy any better. Thanks for nothing!!!!
Ive been looking for a job for two years, but every job site I go to has 50 mexicans and these greedy contractors in ALABAMA won’t hire you because they are making so much money hiring illegals..so I live on food stamps I have no medical insurance I am a single mother Starving in the united States of America. Alabama will not give me medicaid because they think I’m not from the U.S. That is crazy I have been turned down at hospitols…Hurricane Katrina turned my life upside down and we are barely hanging on by a string…when i go to walmarts all i see is mexicans buying buying buying..ya know im really sorry but the ..U.S. needs to enforce their own laws. I’m sure they want us to abide by the law so why don’t uphold it. I have lost all respect for law enforcement. Try to go to Mexico and just walk across the border. What do ya think their government is gona do..I am fed up this is crazy, is anyone really in charge
Please be sure to tell the proper government agency about your hiring practices so you can be prosecuted promptly!!
oh i forgotten one important part,,, the politicians say we cant send 12 million back, but we all know its wayyy more,, yes we can ,,, #1 they didnt come in the country all at one time ,,,so…… you can send them back the same way they came in as many as you catch that day
its so simple to stop illegals in this country ,,, stop government benefits unless you have legal papers,, if a person is born from an illegal they are considered illegal as well,, they cannot go to college unless they are legal, if they are illegal the can be deported if stopped in a traffic offense,, when you stop all the free goodies the USA hands out there will be a reverse in the tide there will be no need to come if they cant bleed the system dry
I am a seafood processor that owns a company that has been working legal workers from mexico for 15 years. The previous owner started using the H-2B visa program in 1992, and when I took over in 2002, I continued to use this program. In 2005 I did not get any visas for my company until May of that year. When I finally got them, it was only 17 workers. Many of our workers who we had trained went somewhere else to work because we didn’t know when or if we would get any visas that year. I could have worked 20 - 30 illegal workers that year but, I didn’t want to be a part of the problem. You see the illegal worker is the reason we are having this problem. I know these illegals personally, because my wife is from Mexico. She had been coming to the U.S. since 1991 legally. So we get invited to many birthday parties, weddings, funerals, and cook outs. I do not dislike hispanic people. Fact is I love them. But to break the law is wrong. And there is a price to be paid for breaking the law. But the punishment must fit the crime. Most Republicans were against giving pathway to citizenship. They called it a form of amnesty. Well what else are you going to do? You already want them to pay a fine, back taxes and get at the end of the line, plus you don’t want them, who for the most part, have been helping us to run our country for an opportunity to be a citizen. After all we pay those who don’t want to work by not policing our welfare system. many Americans either can’t pass the drug screen, won’t wake up on time, or don’t last on the job for more than a few days. Many Americans say that foreign workers are stealing jobs. This is true, but what percent of legal or illegal workers or stealing jobs? Maybe 10 percent. what about the bad guys, drug smuggling, human trafficking, and gangs? Maybe another 10 percent. That leaves 80 percent of hard working just want a better life type of people. As it stands now if you are in the U.S. illegally, someone will give you a job. But if you refuse to break the law by coming without proper documentation you are punished. Also if you work illegals your production is up, and if you refuse to work illegal workers your production is down, your sales are down, your tax paying is down, and your workers comp is also down. How about the amount of packaging material you may use, or maybe raw product you used to buy? Not to mention the energy you use. Can you get the picture of the economical domino effect that is happening here. I don’t know all the answers, but I do know somebody in Washington better wake up or this will be a disaster that will take a whole lot of cleaning up. As for turning the ones who work illegals in, I say it does no good so far. I have given ICE many photos, addresses and nothing has been done.
I was fired for putting illegals to work. Who else works for $6.90@hour? I gained nothing from this, I just satisfied a customer. Now I am jobless.
I think its great that they are passing laws that employers can get fined or in trouble for hiring illegals but come on nothing has changed. I recently got laid off from my job but what really pissed me off is that the illegals got to keep there job. These illegals are working and here you see many americans down at the unemployment office or applying for welfare. Can’t even find another job because honestly there aren’t many jobs out there right now.Don’t get me wrong I do understand that mexicans are hard workers and employers do expect more from them. I also see why you would want to be here every one wants the american dream. I am just upset that I got laid off and “Maria” got to keep her job even though she got hired using false documents and this is happening every where not just at my former employer.
Americans are hurting amercians not illegals, people who hire illegals are not tring to save money they really actually do like the way they work. VERY HARD AND THEY GET THE JOB DONE WITHOUT TAKING LONG BREAKS AND STOP TO SMOKE EVERY 5 MINUTES LIKE US AMERCIANS DO. WE ALL NEED TO LEARN TO GET ALONG AND THIS DARN GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO START GIVING ILLEGALS THEIR PAPERS SO THEY CAN WORK , IT IS NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 20 YEARS ILLEGALS COMING HERE TO WORK AND NOW IT IS BECOMING AN ISSUE!!! OH PLEASE COME ON NOW, IT IS GETTING PRETTY LOW, i WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THIS COUNTRY WITHOUT 1 SINGLE ILLEGAL PERSON AND SEE HOW FAR THIS COUNTRY WILL FALL WITH IN MAYBE 1 WEEK. I TRULY BELIEVE THAT IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN !
Ed wierdness…. 5 have hired both legal and illegal workers. I pay them the same wage I would an American employee because I didnt want to get accustomed to super-low wage rates. However - I will still hire immigrants, legal or otherwise over an American worker every time. Why? American employees, very honestly, stink. Thier productivity is scratch, absenteeism about doubles my labor costs, they whine and complain with an atitude that the American business ” owes ” them something. I dont have any of these problems with immigrant workers. They have a true work ethic. Again, I dont hire them to pay ultra-low rates,,, I use them because they are great workers.
I am an immigrant and was trafficked to this country by a disgusting middle class American family in Roseland, New Jersey to babysit for only $600 a month. I worked one full year with no time-off, all the weekends and holidays I did not get paid for. I did not have benefits and whatsoever you guys are talking about. When I got sick with headache and double vision, the boss took me to UMDNJ, there she gave a different address for a lesser hospital bill I guess, and later had me apply for charity care. The entire year I did not have my passport or any other document becuase she took them from me. So I was stuck in their house with no key to lock the door even for just taking a walk . I had nobody in this country and did not know anything about the US immigration and the law or where my country’s consulate was in the US. All I had to do is smile when their friends visited and I was told not to talk to strangers. I am coming from a very poor family in South Africa and the person that I am is the reflection of my poor family and my life experiences. Therefore, if I owned a business in the US, I would hire people based on my business needs, and would provide basic benefits to all my employees and I would find a way to legalize those hardworking individuals. The only method of boosting the economy as well as reducing the country;’s financial burden is to give one person at a time a chance to survive through training programmes, wage raise and promoting people from one position to another and probably helping people become financially self sufficient and of course own something they can pass on to their heirs. All it takes is a person with an ear and an open hand to help and share the possibilties of a lifetime.
These honest businessmen who hire legal workers ought to bring a civil lawsuits to those caught hiring illegals and undercutting the competition. The boss who knowingly hires illegals, pays them poorly …undercuts legal business and …..the american taxpayer meanwhile …absorbs the costs of schools, and medical expenses that the shady boss escapes! The spineless politicians need either to start protecting US citizens/taxpayers from shady employers and the mess that they help create or they can be voted out!!!
We have been operating a small Exterior Stucco company here in Southeast Georgia for three years. Business has slowed with housing, but when we do find a job to bid on a local competitor, who works illegals as “subcontractors” consistently underbids us by 15% or more. We have reported him to ICE on both the hotline and by talking to a field officer, but nothing has happened. What jobs we have been able to get have been through homeowners and builders who do not want illegals on their jobsite or property. They tell us that the are “willing to pay more” for Americans, because “they do a better job”. Why don’t the general contractors get the message? They are too busy pocketing the profits to concern themselves with the quality of the homes they sell.
The bleeding hearted people that equate disallowing illegal immigrants work
opportunities to hatred and lack of empathy for human rights should put up
or shut up. How? By opening up your HOME to illegals and to other needy
people on the street. Trust me, there are hundreds right near you. Leave
your doors open 24/7 and allow them to come and go and eat your food,
consume your utilities and run amuck throughout your house. If you are not
willing to do this, then you should shut up about the entire issue. That
is, in effect, what pro-illegal immigrant people are wanting the country to
do. Tell me, why do you *not* want to open your home like that? Could it
be that you might endanger your family because criminals could walk in?
Could it be that you work hard to pay for your house and utilities and food
and don’t want to have lazy people take these things away from your family?
Could it be that you only have a finite amount of room in your house and
just leaving the door open could create a terrible over-crowding issue?
Could it be that you don’t want your kids to have to compete for space,
food and attention?
Hmmmm… Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
It is sad that anyone would even ask — “would you hire illegals for your business?” All businesses that pay inordinately lower wages for unskilled labor should be investigated. All businesses that repeatedly have issues with invalid Social Security numbers documented for their workers should be investigated. Any businesses that repeatedly hire illegals after repeated warnings should be heavily fined with mandatory (and stiff) prison sentences. These fines should first be allocated to more workplace enforcement and then more border security. For those who complain this is a heartless position, there is a way for these people to work in America…it is called LEGAL immigration!
Its idiotic to even suggest that our economy would tank without illegal immigrant workers. Even the most optimistic “pro-illegal” advocates acknowledge that illegal aliens constitute less than 5% of our current work force. Sadly, those jobs could be filled with American’s who’ve basically given up on finding work. Employers who insist that they cannot survive without these “low cost alternatives” to competing for American workers are delusional, or just plain lieing! And business that has allowed itself to become dependent not having to compete for legal workers, has neither the products, services, or the management skill set necessary to remain an ongoing concern. It’s laughable when I hear employers bemoan the fact that they can’t find workers who’ll lay irrigation pipe for $10 oer hour. Who in the hell established this as the rate anyway? Each of these employers pockets the difference they’d have to pay American workers who do not live in mass apartments, or share a ride with twenty others, or dine in communal kitchens, or burden other Americans for their health care and education needs. When I here a pro-illegal advocate running his mouth about greedy American workers, I get livid. It is the employers who are greedy. Plain and simple, employers should compete for available legal workers, that’s what established the quality of life we in America hold dear! When did it become the responsibility of our immigration policy and American tax payers to provide a “low cost alternative” to hiring American workers? A friend of mine owns one of the largest roofing companies in the southwest. He lives quite the highlife, his children (4) all take home paychecks of six figures, yet they seldom come to work. He asserts that he’d hire American workers if they would do the job. Yet, when I singled out his highest paid job site manager, asking what he get paid, he looked shocked and refused to answer. I asked him if he’d be alright with it if his daughter were going to marry a guy of “similar means and potential” to which he responded “hell no!”. Thats the future I’m seeing for so many of our young men in this nation. We can’t all be portfolio managers or internet millionaires, doctors, lawyers, etc. Some of us, perhaps most of us, would still be just as content packing a lunch, swinging a hammer, or twisting wrenches for a living. But only if that living can provide us the wherewithal to “live our American dream”. Thats the crux of the biscuit, the American dream is being denied to our children and grand children, simply because employers greed, and even laziness (less paperwork if you hire someone off the books) have been allowed to dictate our immigration policy. Policies that no longer serve the best interests of American workers and Citizens.
You know, I dont think you have any more right that any ilegal here in the USA to work, why you ask? first of they are humans like you and me and all they want is to provide to their families… Why are people upset in knowing that ilegals can be legalized and not be working for 5.00hr but for 10 or $12? They deserve it as much as you do. Even though i am an american citizen i hate all those american people who are greedy and dont care about other peoples needs. I wish all of you people like that would be put into that of the ilegals same situation so you can experience what it is to be payed 3,4,5 dollars an hour. We are the country of opportunity, not just for our selves but for everyone else, leaders dont think for their selves, leaders think for everyone!
There is no statistical data supporting a direct correlation between illegal immigration and lower per capita income for U.S. citizens. Instead of looking at this section of the workforce as a cause for lower per capita income, it should be looked at for what it is: A replacement for a section manual labor which unfortunately Americans are no longer willing to perform.
Many hotels hire illegals. They just act like they didn’t know. The truth is they want to pay low wages. It’s greed. Pure and simple.Then they wrap themselves in the red, white and blue. What a joke.
Fine employers of illegals ($100,000 per) worker.
If we allow 12 – 20 million illegal aliens to gain legal status and the right to work in the US legally, they will indeed drive down wages for many Americans who work hard for a living. I know many in the Senate say this will not happen. But, that is unrealistic. Given the opportunity to apply for legal jobs with some benefits, those workers who were previously working illegally for less, will still be able to secure a better paying job while still undercutting the wage earned by the current American worker.
This is not good for the economy. Why? Because that job has now been unrealistically depressed in wage and will now ONLY be filled by those who are willing to work – and live on less. What about the former American worker? They are now unemployed and on assistance and will not be able to get a job in their field – unless they are willing to work for less wages. This will mean a downward shift in the worker’s lifestyle, family situation – and most likely, home ownership. In turn, as this worker struggles to provide for his family, that family may slide towards bankruptcy, financial ruin and ultimately welfare. His hard earned paycheck will no longer be spent in the US economy.
On the other hand, the illegal alien is now making more than they were back at home. They can send more money home to Mexico – money that will not be spent in the US economy. He is very happy now as a legal worker – and has no intention of assimilating into US society or culture. His children go to US schools – and make demands for Spanish speaking courses. The US culture is weakened, society is fractured, and this worker continues to support family back home in his country of origin. He is now able to apply to bring more of his family over to the US. They will need aid when first here – and maybe forever.
Tell me – where is the benefit to the United States? The only benefit is to the big corporation CEOs and executives and leaders who stand to make millions more in profit off the backs of these illicit workers. The price of goods does not go down. The salary in the pockets of these CEOs goes up. The average CEO pay is 11 million per year - not including options and bonuses. By saving on labor costs, his pockets get filled more with money. That is why American businesses scream we need the illegal workers.
What we need is leadership in the country that is incorruptible and strong enough to say to these goons, “No, you do not need illegals to make labor cheaper” and “no, you do not need to lower healthcare coverage so you can line your pockets with 20 times the salary that the US President makes”. These idiots need to wake up. BTW, what the heck do you spend 11 million a year on? - And that is just the average pay - some make hundreds of millions.
Yes I would report a company it is un human to cut someones wages due to fact him be illegal, and all because the owner’s wallet is getting thicker.
every one should be treating equal skin color dosenot matter.
We employ more than 500 people per week, almost 50% of which speak no English. We are careful to verify each employee’s SSN with the SSA website before they are hired. However, it is an unreliable source and the whole process of determine actual legal status is very difficult. Our customers are glad to know that our intent is to follow the letter of the law. Our employees feel good that their employer is doing the right thing. The best advice I’ve recieved is from our employment attorney and that is to put sound, documented processes in place and use them for everyone no matter race or ethinic background. Also, showing the Department of Homeland Security, Social Security Administration and the EEOC through our processes and practices that our INTENT is to employ on authorized workers is the best way to keep us out of trouble.
Truth Hurts: My wife is an immigrant also and she grew up where there was no running water and no electricity. She came here legally and worked to have the right visa to work here also.
If taken in small numbers, our countrymen are glad to welcome hard-working immigrants on our soil. In mass, it lowers the wages of our lower class, burdens our infrastructure, spreads thin our social services, and limits our ability to accept new immigrants who are working to come here legally.
What’s the number one reason that some citizens of other countries have a hard time even getting a visa to visit the US even if they are visiting their sons and daughters? It’s because they have to prove they will return to their country. Too many people before them did not return.
Jeff in Seattle: Illegal immigration is not a matter of color or religion. And unfortunately, illegal immigration is not a matter of private concern. It is a public, societal problem.
Also, there are numerous laws concerning employment. They protect employees from owners who feel they should be able to do whatever they want and just want everyone to butt out of their private business.
My wife was a so called “illegal” when she came here. She had a visa, but it eventually expired. This country was built on illegals, if not, who defeated the English? Most people come here for an oppurtunity for a better life. If you lived in a country where there was no running water in the house, inflation was high that you couldn’t afford the bare necessities like deodorant and shoes, you had to walk 3 miles everyday because you couldn’t afford a car, you house had no floor and it was dirt, and the unemployment is 50%, and you heard that there is place called the U.S. where everybody is given a chance to suceed, you run over the border yourself. I know I sure would. Illegal immigrants who commit violent crimes and such should be deported, but those with good conduct who just trying feed their families should stay. How would you feel if we were deported, after all we live on Native American soil anyway!
I don’t hire illegals, I hire people willing to work. I don’t care what color or religion they are.
As an American I should have the right to hire anyone I want to work at my business. The government should butt out of private business.
People just do not understand that once illegals get legalized they will not work for $5-$6 per hour, they will demand at least $12.
Say good bye to the cheap labour
Now if our businesses pay this rate we would not need the illegals. Americans can and would work for the decent money
and there would not be a labor shortage.
ANY BUSINESS THAT HIRES ILLEAGALS SHOULD BE SHUT DOWN! PERIOD!!!
You are breaking the law and endangering this country. You are contributing to our 37% illegal population in our prisions. You are contributing to drugs entering this country. You are contributing to the destruction of the middle class.
REPORT EVERY BUSSINESS TO THE TIP LINE THAT YOU BELIEVE IS PROFITING FROM BREAKING THE LAW!! It the only way we can protect this country.
I am of Hispanic descent and i think we need to control the border,but i feel the ones that are here and are productive should stay.They work hard and are willing to do the work no one else wants……..And thats the truth.They want a decent life just like us…….
Anyhow we have been here forever and i dont think we are going anywhere.
Anyhow my people have helped build this country,hellooooo.
And yes illegals pay taxes that they cant clain and yes they buy their products here and so what if they help their families …….wouldnt you….
The government can never get rid of the so called illegals we neeeeeeeeed them.I lived in east los angeles for
most of my life and believe me i have seen how how these immigrants work ,it is unbelievable.They will work their fingers to the bone.I hear people complain about how the illegals are taking there jobs.Well go out there where they are and work,believe me some are not getting 5.00 an hour……OHHH but i guess its easier to blame them that you cant get a job so you just stay home and complain……
It’s interesting that John in Miami believes that Americans wouldn’t want jobs that include “work on my house, lay down new tiles in my family room, some landscaping”. There are plenty of hard working Americans. Just because the illegal immigrants make his life easier doesn’t mean it isn’t a burden for those who compete for the jobs. It’s the classic view of those who don’t want to pay competitive wages.
If companies are really concerned about competitors hiring illegals, they should advertise that their workers all have legal work status. That will provoke customers to ask the question when researching fair estimates.
You need not only address this from an “illegal issue.” Floor-covering contractors are far too expensive in the first place. Focus on quality. It’s that simple. You need to overcome the benefits of what the market perceives as “reasonable labor costs.”
No! I would absolutely NOT hire illegals. The sad fact is that the last several companies that I’ve had dealings with had mostly illegal employees because they’ll work for less and don’t care about benefits. FYI calling the local immigration office had no result. Unless it’s a huge operation they can take down, they’re so swamped that they’re not interested. I especially hate to see that our stores and neighborhood has turned into a “Little Mexico” where you see signs more in Spanish than English, even with the huge retailers. Some of them live several families in one single family house - no code doesn’t enforce any evictions. They take everything in our country for granted, and are no different from history showing where people came, raped & pillaged the land, and left for another country to do it to. IF they went through the proper channels and came here LEGALLY, and IF they learned our language which in turn would help them understand and respect our laws, then I would have no qualms about them being here. Our country chose English as it’s native language, and employers need to revert to the old days when a person earned a wage they could live off of(let’s see one of the bosses live off minimum wage or any of the average wages paid now), and had benefits and were rewarded for their ethics, dependability, and loyalty. Take our country back!
Also, for those folks who actually think illegal immigrants are hurting the economy need to stop thinking out of their a**es. First of all, we KEEP all their taxes and they dont get refunds!! Also, they are paying into the SS program and well never benefit from it. Also, they pay sales taxes little money they do earn. The ones who are hurting the economy are the ignorant, lazy, uninspired, talentless, obese, people on welfare, medicaid, and public housing…AKA - AMERICANS!
Ok Guys..this is a subject that is way more complex than it looks like on paper. Would I hire an Illegal immigrant? Probably. To work on my house, lay down new tiles in my family room, some landscaping. Sure! Now would I run a business with a full time workforce of illegal immigrants - no. Now, the truth of the matter is, illegal immigrants do ALL the jobs us Americans DON’T WANT! It’s simple as that. And if you want to keep inflation down, we need them - it’s simple economics. So - don’t ask, don’t tell. It’s not like an illegal immigrant is applying for that management position for that fortune 500 company, that you’re also applying for.
By all means I would report ILLEGALS working for a competitor or even just a store on the corner. As a matter of fact I would report it if I knew where they lived. Does the word ILLEGAL mean anything?
Any Employer that uses illegal aliens in its business is violating the law and should be punished (a large fine or a prison term). Illegal aliens have no regard for our laws and place a large burden on our health care system. They should be rounded up and sent back to where they came from. Any state that offers protection for the illegal aliens the leaders of that state are breaking the law and should be punished. Maybe prison time would open their eyes. Those companies that outsource their productrs should have a penalty placed on their products when they comew back to america (50% Tax).
I agree with the idea of sending some of our worthless ‘natives’ back to Europe and opening up some space for people who believe in hard work and education. Fat, stupid, lazy and racist is no way to go through life.
The people that hire these illegal aliens only see the profit that they can make and choose to ignore what really happens when illegal aliens are employeed. The reality is that these illegals are putting a strain on the economy in several ways. They do not pay taxes yet they apply and get state and government help ie… insurance like medicaid, food stamps and welfare. They also have children here which automatic makes that child a citizen which in turn makes it more difficult to remove the illegal parent because it becomes a moral issue. Why should that child have the right to become a citizen just because he or she was born here. Try that in another country! Also try going to another country legally or illegaly and try getting a job and not pay taxes or get government support! You will end up on the street starving. Of course it is cheaper to hire an illegal because you can get away with paying less because there is no way of tracking if that person was paid and what they were paid therefore employers can pay whatever they want and if that illegal alien complains they can just find another one for less. Just look at what has happened to quality of products of companies that have closed and moved to China or South America. They may make it cheaper but that does not mean that the quality is there! What happened to made in America that use to mean quality. Now emlopyers only look at their bottom line and how much they can make by hiring cheap labor and to hell with how it effects everyou else ie… education, insurance, and medical care. Wake up people lets put the made in America back into our products and services not made in America by illegal aliens for less!
Illegal immigrants do not keep the economy rolling. They also cost more in social services they consume than in the taxes they pay. Hiring an illegal immigrant brings down wages. I’ve seen where companies are training illegal immigrants important job skills rather than training americans who are eager to work also. Of course illegals would work for less. They’re building houses and supporting loved ones for less back in their home countries. I’ve seen several friends lose their jobs to illegal aliens even though they were very good workers who never were late for jobs. One in fact was a mentally retarded man who worked 3rd shift on a line at a factory.
People who want illegal immigration only look at the good ones and not the bad ones. There are plenty of bad apples among the illegal immigrants. Our prison system is full of them. There’s a much higher percentage of inmates who are illegal immigrants than there are illegal immigrants among the population. Much of our money go for the extra costs hospital, counties, states, prisons, schools, enforcement, insurance, etc spend because of illegal immigrants. In fact, in many parts of the country, legal citizens often have to pay higher insurance because they are in accidents with uninsured illegal immigrants who are not held accountable.
Our economy would grind to a halt if it was not for the illegal aliens. The reality is most manufacturing and farming jobs would be done overseas if we stopped the tide. I know of several business owners who would shut down their business if they had to depend on Americans as the sad truth is they are unwilling to work in those jobs.Demands for better pay only results in work being shipped overseas as the American consumer will not pay for expensive products.
Do we have a plan–NO. Simple and factual we do not have a plan on anything. We just give our country away to anyone who wants it. China, India, Japan, Russia send us whatever they want and we buy it from Wal Mart, J. C. Penny, Home Depot, Honda’’s , Toyato. American Mfgs. outsourcing every thing they can. Ford and Gm’s assembly plant parking lots are 80 percent foreign auto’s. China owns both ends of Panama Canal. I ask does out congress have a plan???
A New York Times article reproduced here (http://www.immigrationforum.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=724) shows that there’s good evidence that undocumented immigrants are subsidizing our ailing Social Security system, by paying in (through money withheld from their wages) and not being able to claim benefits. Anytime you present an employer with an SSN (real or not), money gets withheld from your wages.
I am a first generation immigrant and my parents were illegal when they came to this country! I also know a lot of foreigners, some illegal. I got lucky; my parents became legalized via “amnesty” in the 80’s. I was very young, so I don’t remember very well. I got my citizenship as a result. Now my family lives the American dream: college educations, nice homes, better-than-average paying jobs.
Would I hire an Illegal Alien - I already have, I guess. I hired some assorted Hispanics to do work on my rental property. I did this because I could pay them very little, and I knew they were too scared/desperate to complain about the hours or treatment. Of course, I was nice and even gave them food. One did a good job and even slept OVERnight in the house to finish the job. The other guy did an AWFUL job. I paid him anyway. In my experience, some immigrants work harder than some Americans, but many Americans are highly skilled and hardworking. A good, hardworking immigrant costs less than a good hardworking American. That’s the difference. But what would happen if we paid everyone very little for their work? What if we didn’t give anyone a pension or healthcare or vacation?
Would I blow the Whistle on Someone who hires Illegals - I know a couple of very very wealthy people who got rich in retail. They don’t pay enough taxes, get a lot of their income in CASH and hire illegals. I am tempted to tell on one guy in particular, but I know it’s just jealousy on my part, so I don’t. I have not followed the law in everything I do, so I try to “do onto others.” I’m sure he doesn’t really enjoy his dirty money anyway.
I have worked with the government as a contractor for many years, and I have seen many long-time white and black (I am black) Americans in action. I wonder how the country functions?! Some of them display laziness, lack of motivation and ignorance and still earn nice salaries, drive nice cars and live in nice homes. America’s greatness must be due to the constant replenishment of workers etc. by talent from overseas. Desperate people, who are willing to work hard, dream hard and play hard to achieve their dreams. I could be wrong.
Anyway, I have also seen the effect of “outsourcing” and illegal immigration on the economy and in my field (computers). Having so many workers is dragging wages DOWN in many fields such as carpentry, customer service (retail and phone) and programming. Employers also are not giving the native Americans a chance to learn important skills because foreigners work for less money. That’s why MS Windows is free in China.
It’s hard for an unskilled single mother to support her family with a job that pays $6 per hour. But an illegal immigrant will JUMP on that job. It’s a fortune! Esp when you share an apartment with 3 other people. That’s the bad side of immigration, I think. We should make the immigrants American citizens, and ship out some of the “long time” Americans to another country. Like a foreign exchange. I doubt many countries would want some of the people I have seen in Baltimore.
I’m also worried about what will happen when the housing boom goes bust. There a lot of Honduran, Guatemalan etc. illiterate (I speak fluent Spanish, and believe me, some of them don’t even know how to speak or read Spanish) and unskilled laborers in slums in the cities. They are okay now, but what happens when there isn’t enough demand to give them jobs. I mean, Americans are going to run out of money to hire painters, builders etc. sometime. What’s going to happen to the hundreds of thousands of single, desperate, hungry men living in slums around our country then? Are they going to go back home?
BTW, there are many illegal immigrants in the US from Pakistan, Asia and Europe. How come the govt. ignores all foreigners who aren’t Hispanic? I guess the census has not made an effort to reach out to those communities. Spanish is probably easier to learn.
Anyway, the immigration issue poses a big challenge for the US. I have no answer. Actually if I did have a plan, I doubt our bloated, overpaid, unorganized government would be able to implement it, anyway.
If business owners find it profitable to hire illegals, then owners should be willing to pay for their employee’s medical bills, free education and health care for their children, pain and suffering payments to those whose identities are stolen, reimburse taxpayers for the lost payments to the IRS…
Make the owners pay for the expense they are causing their fellow citizens and suddenly capitalism will force these selfish owners to only hire legals, because it will cost THEM too much to hire illegals!
Illigals are now in every country, from every country. From Europe to China, I travel everywhere, I have seen this myself. None of us could ever waste as much money and lives as the president does against the will of the voters.
Illigals have, and will always be an important thread of the American flag.
We need a president and congress to concentrate on our problems, and not on those where lives and money are clearly being wasted overseas.
That my friends is clearly illigal, and it makes me sick that I hired them when I voted for them. Every day that another one of our soldiers that loved life dies over a system that will continue to be what it was before 3,000 plus died in vain.
The fact that there is actually a DEBATE on whether or not we should allow something that is against FEDERAL LAW is amazing. Simply amazing.
No, I wouldn’t hire illegals, simply because it is illegal. Thousands are out of work and looking for jobs. Illegals don’t pay taxes, social security, or medicare taxes. They most likely pay sales taxes like everyone else. The problem is if their children are born here they automatically a us citizen. We need to tighten our borders.
Do you live in a house that has been built in the last 30 years? Do you drive on a roadway that has been built in the last 30 years? Do you work in a commercial building? If you answered yes to any of these rhetorical questions than you can thank illegal immigrants for building them. Let’s face it white boys don’t like to do that kind of labor (for the most part) anymore because it involves alot of physical labor including old fashioned sweat. Thanks to the illegals, the work gets done. If you are a large contractor and forced to hire illegals to get your jobs compleated, you can not get away with paying less in the hopes you will make more profit either. They will tell you to get bent in a NY minute and go down the street where someone else will pay them what they are really worth. That is the way in works in a market economy.
I’m for LEGAL immigration, not ILLEGAL. There is a difference. Oh, and not all illegals are very hard working and not all Americans are lazy!
2nd Generation from New York:
Thank you for proving my point about the irrationality of the pro-illegal crowd. You have no logical point to make, and therefore resort immediately to ’shock’ tactics like using the words ‘racist’ and ‘non-white.’
Your comments are a perfect example of the ‘idiocy’ of automatically trying to turn everything into an emotional argument, and shying away from actually thinking or presenting any real facts. My statement had nothing to do with race, and I challenge you to find any proof to the contrary that isn’t created by your own misguided assumptoins. Labelling somebody a ‘racist’ without any knowledge of the person exposes your own deep-seated prejudices — and the fact that you are most likely a racist yourself. In other words, you have done your cause a disservice by writing such a blatanly ignorant statement.
In case you have forgotten (or are conveniently neglecting to mention) the majority of immigrants 50-100 years ago came through Ellis Island (the front door); regardless of race or color of skin. This allowed the United States to control the flow of new people and cultures into this country to allow adequate time to assimilate and maintain the stability of the nation. Without these controls, we see the division and instability that is becomming more prevalent each day.
So once again, thank you for your emotion-fueled and irrational rant, as it has once again prevented any reasonable dialogue towards a viable solution.
If Jose or Juan or Manuel (or whoever) all had to go back to their small Mexican (or El Salvador or Guatemala or whatever) towns and tell their friends and family they couldn’t find work in the US, the US wouldn’t have as many illegal aliens because they would all stay in their native countries. Giving an illegal alien a job only encourages them to come to our country.
i would hire anyone (legal or illegal) to do a days work at a fair wage. Illegal immigrants work very hard and keep the US economy running. They should be rewarded for this. it is the american way. Anyone who reports on an illegal immigrant is a snitch and probably one of those people that blames the worlds problems on others.
Before illegals, it was blacks. before blacks it was indians. theres always a new bogeyman around so some people can feel good about themselves.
We can moan and groan at the hiring of illegal immigrants, but until we keep our goverment accountable for not prosecuting those who continue to hire them, there is not much we can do about these common practices.
Dan from Burbank:
“If you can’t come in the front door, then obviously you’re doing something you know isn’t right.”
This is the most idiotic and ignorant statement I’ve ever heard. Simply being from a certain country, or not having a lot of money bars you from ever coming in the “front door.” But since most of those countries are non-white, Americans are perfectly happy filtering out all those people.
I find it hard to see a difference between anti-immigration sentiments and racism. Taking a hard line against “illegals” is often just a politically correct way of rejecting brown people who don’t speak English.
If today’s rules had been in place 50-100 years ago when there were virtually no barriers to immigration, most of us “native born” Americans wouldn’t even be here. It’s selfishness to think you can come in and close the door right behind you.
A recent article described the illegal immigration discussions as ‘very emotional’ — of course they are. Anyone who is pro-illegal does not have a rational argument to support their point of view, so all that is left is emotion.
Unfortunately, emotional decisions tend to be very subjective, self-serving and myopic. There is absolutely no reason why this country should tolerate, or show leniency towards, anyone who crosses our border illegally. If you can’t come in the front door, then obviously you’re doing something you know isn’t right.
Its the classic analogy: if I break into your house, am I automatically a member of your family? In the same vein, if you sneak across our border, you are not automatically part of this country.
Illegal’s are just that ILLEGAL!!!! We are sick of it here in Texas!!! Farmers Branch, Texas just past laws against all illegal’s living and working there, they also made English the cities official language. The people are speaking out, we do not want them here. They are destroying our schools, our healthcare, our insurance costs, our land, our roads, our social services, our job markets, our constitution, OUR RIGHTS as legal American citizens and Texans.
URGENT:
PLEASE KNOW THAT THE SENATE IS TRYING TO PUSH A 900pg BILL THROUGH TOMORROW, TUESDAY THE 15TH, ON IMMIGRATION. VERY SECRETIVE. DOES NOT WANT THE AMERICAN PUBLIC TO WEIGH IN ON THE ISSUE. CALL YOUR SENATOR TODAY &/OR TOMORROW TO LET THEM KNOW YOUR OPINION. EXTREMELY URGENT!!!!!!!!!!!
How about stiffer penalties for business owners who hire illegal immigrants? How likely would they be to hire illegal immigrants if they were forced to pay back pay at a rate of the current minimum wage rate?
All of the radical plans to deport all the illegal immigrants and the business people who hire the illegal imigrants are absurd. Let’s face it, if the government ws serious about keeping out our neigbors from the south they would have come up with a successful imigration enforcement plan decades ago when the issue began. The fact is that the same people who “dont want them here” in middle america continue to exploit the cheap labor to survive in agriculture business in the modern U.S. / World economy. This “war” on immigration is like the “war” on drugs. No president- democrat or republican- has a real interst in preventing illegal immigrants from entering our workforce. Another thing we need to face is that the imigrants are “taking” american jobs- they are working the jobs the modern lazy americans would “never” do.. Lets come up with a comprhensive plan to make a the road to citizenship for law abiding, hard working poeple who are living the “american dream” a reality. Next time you buy produce, or eat a meal in just about any restaurant, or buy a new home, or hire a lawn service (these are stereotypical i know), ask yourself how it would feel to pays 2x, 5x 10x that price for it.. would you be able to survive??.. Let’s get real..
Real patriots would report illegal immigrant workers, and those who employee them. Our country is being sold out in a race to reach the bottom of the labor pool, and wages. The only real people who benefit from illegal labor are those at the top 1% of the economic ladder (corporate CEOs) and our politicians who pander to them. It’s time that people open their eyes. We are hurting our country for generations to come.
I would never hire illegals to work for my. All of my employees are fingerprinted, fully screened and if inaccuracies are found, reported.
Americans should realize that if they do business that hire illegals that they are weakening our economy. The money they steal does not get spent in the US, it is sent to their country and costs our goverment, and in turn pinches our pockets tighter.
So think again if you hire a company full of illegals and know that you may be paying a cheaper price for the service up front, you’ll be paying more for other services or in taxes tommorow.
Ooooooh, probation. Now there’s a tough penalty for supporting and perpetuating illegal immigration. Next time that businessman’s kid has to take a backseat in the emergency room while everyone runs around trying to find a translator for the person in front of him, he’ll think twice about the impact of his idiot hiring policy.
When did obeying the law become an option? When did enforcing the law become an option?
As far as I’m concern it is no one’s business. Also the person that wrote the article if you can’t handle competition then quit or lower your prices. Also, companies hire illegals aliens for the work that an american citizen doesn’t want to do because they are too busy saying they are disabled or get free housing, food stamps and also free medical. SO PLEASE SHUT UP.
“Probation…” my —!!! Anyone convicted of knowingly hiring illegals should serve time as they are aiding and abetting criminal activity-period. I understand there is a perceived “need” for bodies in certain industries but, the law is the law and it should be upheld and enforced. If you don’t like the law, you need to lobby the lawmakers to get it changed.
On the other hand, if it can not be proven that the employer knew, then it is not the employer’s job (as I understand the current statutory requirements on employers) to police and control immigration - that is the federal government’s job.
So, “Rick in Phoenix”, you’d better be very careful about terminating employees over the mismatch letter from SSA. In case you haven’t read the entire communication, it states you could be held liable for terminating those employees. Of course, they’re giving you bogus ID’s. But, you need to send them back to SSA to get it “straigtened out” and if they can’t, then you need to inform them of your obligations under the law and let them decide if they want to leave or wait for INS to show up. That way, you’re not terminating them - they’re leaving of their own accord. Bottom line: it’s a mess but you’d better be careful and get advice from a qualified immigration attorney before you continue your current practice of terminating them or it could cost you-even if you “win”.
Employers hireing illegals should be fined 10,000 dollars per illegal. This would put a stop to this abuse. I also get tired of hearing about these so called 12 to 20 million illegal immigrants inside the U.S. The border patrol puts the number in the 40 million range and that is being conservative. 12 to 20 million is just the accepted count for political purposes. Also, why is the voice in favor of a illegal immigrants abusing our system so much louder than that of those just wanting the system to work as the laws were written.
If we stopped hiring illegals and deported all 12 million of them, the country would stop. The rich would not hold still for it, because they would have to pay higher wages for their lawn care and home bulding and be force to hire people with papers at those higher wages.
The world economy is driven by gain, and so is the US consumer. You can not condemn illegal hiring any more then offshoring tech support, just because it is out of site.
Capitalism demands the cheaper product/service by any means necessary, which makes “Business Integrity” an oxymoron.
The only way to slow down this run-away train is through market and immigration/hiring reform. This needs to be done in the same breath so everyone understands it as one problem.
It is obvious that most of you have nothing to do with business other than shopping. It is practically impossible to determine if a person is “legal” or not. It takes several months to make that determination. Unitl the government will allow access to the SSN data base, you have to wait for the them to “get back with you”. All of you talking about this and that company hiring illegals don’t know what you are talking about. If you can look at or listen to a person and tell me whether he is legal or not, I’ll kiss your……………
While others may push the ’stupid’ or ‘lazy’ idea, all of the businesses ICE has raided have been able to fill their rosters quickly. From a philosophical perspective, if it is okay to hire illegal’, then it is perfectly fine to not hire others, lets say women, or African American or whom ever. And yes, it is the same argument. And for the goofball that mentioned the immoral war that took the Southwest from Mexico, maybe he or she should read a little history. Spaniards stole the land from the indigenous in South and North America, and then slaughtered them. Believe it or not, ‘Mexicans’ are not indigenous to the Americas. Also, many ‘Mexiacans’ fought to free Texas from the likes of Santa Anna. Educate yourself.
Would you hire illegals for your business? Do you think it’s an unfair advantage? Would you report a competitor who hired illegal workers? Post your thoughts.
1.) No. Illegals do far more bad than good for our country and have no right to be here. There are enough people who have applied for citizenship legally than to allow these felons into the country. Illegals should be automatically deported. I’d rather my tax dollars go to deporting these criminals than to pay for their medical care and schooling their children.
2.) Yes I think it’s an unfair advantage. Those corporations and businesses that are caught knowingly hiring illegals should be simply put out of business. If it was accidental, then just a fine large enough to push the company to come into compliance with the proper background checks that they should have been running.
3.) Absolutely. If I had the right connections, I’d love to work in the Immigration Control part of the government and catch these criminals. The quality of our lives, and those of our children are dropping due to the overpopulations, increased crime rate, increased insurance premiums, and decreasing attention to our kids in school.
I don’t think any of those who commented on the issue realize that the word Illegal is just imaginary. I bet many of you have father, grandfather or mothers, which one way or another came to this country in search of better life. Many of you, which call yourself legal are poorly educated and ignorant. This country is what it is because of those HARD WORKING people, who pick your tomatoes for $5/h, or cut your lawn, clean your stores, make your everyday activity exist for single digit pay per hour. Think about that before release such ridiculous statements. Everything AND EVERYTHING in this county is produced one or other way from people outside of this country, so I am glad that the administration doing nothing, I believe that is their duty. If you do not like it, do not do business, just find a job for $7/h and be happy. It is also very poor journalism for Money.com to post such an issues on the web, before it has been even discussed in the parliament. ….ETC. God Bless not America, God Bless those who work for America.
As a I consumer I try to boycott all companies that promote illegal immigration or English/Spanish bilingualism. Sometimes it’s hard, but I concentrate on the Big Three: Tyson Foods, Home Depot and Bank of America. I cancelled my BofA account recently after nearly 30 years as their customer. I wish there was some kind of certification for honest employers who do not hire illegals — it would make things easier on us consumers who want to support honest Pro-American businesses.
You know, people are talking about all this imigration problem, but are failing to see the larger picture.
The real problem is the large corporations that are now hiring in China, India, Taiwan, all other countries instead of here.
People talk about illegal workers that botton line will spend their money here. However, all big companies are now hiring Costumer Services, Tech Support in other countries.
I would hire, and help as much as I could.
If it is against the law then the law should be changed. And not changed then we should also have arrested the big corporations for giving our jobs away.
Hiring illegals promotes the problem. I will report any company that I know is hiring them. Illegals are hurting america in many ways but they also take away the opportunity for legal immigrants to enter this country. This country was built by immigrants and I support legal immigration but we do not need more criminals.
first, I think employers who knowingly hire illegals should be jailed, second, illegals who are caught should be fingerprinted, deported, prohibited from returning, and any assets sold to reimburse taxpayers for cost of providing services.
third, anyone in our prisons that are illegally in the country should be deported to a country where the cost of keeping them in prison is less than here. They deserve no protection from “cruel and unusual punishment” since they wouldn’t be in our prisons if they had stayed in their own country.
Bush says we are a nation of laws, but turns a blind eye to the laws HE doesn’t like.
SOMEONE HAS TO DO SOMETHING SOON , WHILE WE STILL HAVE A COUNTRY !!! THIS IS AN EMERGENCY IN THE BORDER STATES !!! * 40 YEARS IN CALIFORNIA *
It is sad to say but this government is making crime pay.
Hiring illegal immigrants creates a huge advantage to those businesses willing to do so.
By not enforcing the immigration laws our government is driving honest Americans out of business and rewarding criminals.
No, I would not hire illegal immagrants, because it is against the law. There is a enormous risk involved all across the board!
Also, yes, I would report someone else, who does this, because it is wrong. People take advantage of the situation in a business who hire illegal workers and they may even treat them as if they were in a “sweat shop”. Very inhumane, they are humans with rights!
Absolutely not! Money isn’t everything. We need to get some integrety back in american business. How does one sleep at night following illegal practices.
In my opinion, we should not only alert the Feds on companies hiring illegal immigrants but to heavily fine them for the purpose of hiring..
I do not get how company could not know the people they hire are illegal immigrants but it is obviously on the benefits of illegal immigrants.
It does create unfair advantages for the company hiring illegals as well as burden the taxpayers like myself with education, health, and services provided to the illegals.
At the end of it all, they should not be here in the first place. They have legalized immigration let alone the H1 Visa which provide temporary residence here.
The bottom line is companies who hire illegal knows they could get away with it and reap all the benefits without any coporate governance from the government. It hurts businesses who are doing things by the book and decrease the US cost of living (hence why the gap between the rich and poor continues to widen)
Yes i would turn anyone that i know is hiring illegals. It is an unfair practice and should be stoped any way it can.
I agree with turning your competitor into the Feds. What he is doing is completely wrong. But more important to me, would be to make sure you advertise and promote the fact that,”We hire and staff with AMERICAN CITIZENS, unlike some local competitors.” I really think most customers will recognize this as an important factor in their buying decision as PRO AMERICAN consumers! Use his greed against him!
Hiring illegals is the business equivalent of speeding 10 miles over the speed limit - it’s illegal, against the law, and mostly law enforcement will do nothing to stop it even if you’re doing it right under their noses.
Laws means nothing if they are not enforced.
People who hire illegals are not business people. People who hire illegals are nothing more than thugs, themselves. There is no excuse - none - for hiring illegal workers. Nothing could be more unprofessional nor could anything be more unpatriotic. We must IMMEDIATELY deport those who hire illegals: deport them to a LONG sentence at hard labor. Entrepeneurs do not hire illegals. Criminals hire illegals. Criminals belong in prison, period.
It is extremely unfair to hire illegals. I always ask for ID of anyone hired to do work either at my house or my place of business. This has meant in the past that I have had to ask workers to leave but I don’t feel badly about it. I would report anyone who hires illegals. This may result in short term higher costs but in the long term, it will become an advantage. My prediction will be that one day, those companies that hire illegals will be “shunned”.
Well welcome to the Blankety-blank Global economy. The form of economy that has all but virtually eliminated small maunfacturing in this country. The type of economy that has put a strangle hold on the middle income class of this country.
Why? Because the corporate elite want to increase their bottom line and contract their products out to countries that hire workers at not much more than slave wages.
Your complaint about your competitors using illegal workers is directly analogous to American manufacturing workers competing with Mexican and Chinese workers.
Don’t look to USCIS to solve your problems. Join a pro-enforcement group to halt illegal immigration and demand that Congress enforce’s our existing laws. SAY NO TO AMNESTY!
If the goverment would ever address the problem we would all be better and play on a level playing field,
No way would I report a businessman who hires illegal immigrants. It’s just good business. I’d probably be that businessman. Get with the times, buddy! (It’s called capitalism, just in case you forgot.)
If ICE was a real agency you could contact, you better believe it. Right now, Americans don’t even know what their Constitutional rights are in this country. They change weekly according the GW Bush and Cheney’s profit plans. As far as ICE goes, it is largely invisible and just a drain on funds for nothing in return. They do absolutely NOTHING!!
I’m tired of stupid and lazy “native” workers. Let people work that have some work ethic. OBTW Mexico owned the western US before another immoral war changed that.
By all means report the business’ that hire illegals. This is the only way we as law abiding citizens will ever stop the flow of illegals into our business markets. The cost of breaking the LAW must outweigh the cost of abiding by the law.
As A licened contractor in the State of Delaware,No I will not Hire illegal workers.1 it is against the Law.2.I can not speak there Language.Most Contractors Hire them Here in Sussex Co. It is very hard to Compete with those other Contractors Price wise.And yes I Have Lost Many Jobs because of it.
In my industry, we are so starved for employees, that I will hire anyone that will 1.pass a drug screen 2.show up on time 3.present a “real” ssn.
Commonly I hear back from ICE that the ssn is not valid (often > 6months later), at which point I do terminate that employee, but that position is almost certainly filled by another that will eventually be rejected as well.
I do pay 2-3x minimum wage for all employees regardless of race etc… and know that 80% of my competition pays less… I don’t know how they do it though…
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You are an idiot! You think we need to just allow people to work as they please, and send money back to the countries they come from? How does that help the economy? If we didn’t have illegals here the county would be fine. The poorest people with no college education would be the ones building the buildings, doing the lawns, cleaning the restrooms, and babysitting my spoiled children. What needs to happen is the energy you put into coming here needs to be directed to fixing your own problems in the place you came from Ms. Ramos. With all of that determination you can easily correct issues at home right? Your parents came here illegally I suppose? You are reaping the benefits of a college education and most likely a decent paying job. It shows because you have yet to spell something wrong. ?Ju kno wat I mean?