another brother of a BOTL lost in Iraq

[SuperChuck]

Illegal immigration is kind of a tough topic, which is why so many politicians are having such a hard time with it.

I don't think we should be closing our borders to people who want to come here to work. THAT is the American way. When my family came over, they were looking for a better life for their family. They came over and worked on farms. My grandfather was a bagger at the local grocery store when he enlisted.

Bitching and moaning that the Mexicans are taking your job away only means you didn't take advantage of the free education you were given. If Pedro is going to clean pools for half of what you will, you can accept less money or find something else to do, that's how a free-market economy works.

At the same time, you don't want to grant amnesty to illegals. You want to reward those who are doing it the right way. But you don't want to kick someone out of country because they broke the rules in order to help their family, either. Do you prosecute someone who steals a loaf of bread to feed his children? That's a tough call...

[SmokinDVM]

The combination of illegal aliens and the employers who break the law by hiring them is where the problem is. The politicians don't really want the problem fixed or they would enforce the laws already in place.
The effect of having these illegal workers here is it brings down the wages of all workers in this Country. The people in this Country worked hard to bring the standard of living up to one of the best in the World. Now we have a corporate and political pairing that's bent on destroying that standard.

If the politicians had any balls, they would institute a fine of at least $30k for every illegal alien an employer hires, and enforce the fines.
They would also level the trade deficit field by, for example, taking a companies goods that are produced in a Country that pays its workers 30% less than here, and charge a 30% tariff on their goods imported and sold in the US. Free trade agreements don't raise the workers wages and conditions in other countries up, it lowers them in our Country.

[cigar no baka]

The combination of illegal aliens and the employers who break the law by hiring them is where the problem is. The politicians don't really want the problem fixed or they would enforce the laws already in place.
The effect of having these illegal workers here is it brings down the wages of all workers in this Country. The people in this Country worked hard to bring the standard of living up to one of the best in the World. Now we have a corporate and political pairing that's bent on destroying that standard.

If the politicians had any balls, they would institute a fine of at least $30k for every illegal alien an employer hires, and enforce the fines.
They would also level the trade deficit field by, for example, taking a companies goods that are produced in a Country that pays its workers 30% less than here, and charge a 30% tariff on their goods imported and sold in the US. Free trade agreements don't raise the workers wages and conditions in other countries up, it lowers them in our Country.

I totally agree. The PTB in this country are scheming to bring in cheap labor to suppress wages and improve corporate profits. We should penalize the companies, and the management in those companies severely when they are caught hiring illegals. I say heavy punitive fines and lengthy jail terms. First place they should head is Tyson Foods, who apparently hires so many illegals they can't keep open for even one day when the illegals go on strike.

[SmokinDVM]

I totally agree. The PTB in this country are scheming to bring in cheap labor to suppress wages and improve corporate profits. We should penalize the companies, and the management in those companies severely when they are caught hiring illegals. I say heavy punitive fines and lengthy jail terms. First place they should head is Tyson Foods, who apparently hires so many illegals they can't keep open for even one day when the illegals go on strike.

I don't think we should stop with just the big corporations either, although they should receive the larger fines, but should fine the people hiring them as maids and gardeners too.
If their job market here dries up, they'll stay in Mexico and try to make changes there.