Let's not all be racists here. I have no problem at all with Legal immigrants. I have no problem with immigrant workers either, so long as they: are payed minimum wage or higher, pay all state and federal taxes, pay an additional tax for being allowed to take a job from an american citizen, and not allowed to be on government assistance of any kind.
To all those who say these workers are doing jobs that Americans won't do, you're wrong. Many illegal immigrant workers are being paid BELOW minimum wage. Of course Americans aren't going to work for $3 an hour. If the fed gov took a stand and REALLY cracked down on employers, then Americans would do these same jobs for fair wages. By the way, the minimum wage hasn't been changed since 1997. It is currently over 25% below what it was in 1979 when adjusted for inflation.
Crack down on the employers of illegal immigrants, raise the minimum wage, allow immigrant workers to work at minimum wage or higher and require them to pay all regular taxes plus extra immigrant taxes, and do NOT provide federal assistance to illegal immigrants, and this problem shrinks considerably.
And to those who considered rebutting with the damage to the economy of raising wages, I think it should be supplemented through VERY heavy fines against employers of illegal immigrants.
Immigrant workers get due respect, higher wages, safer working conditions (now they can call OSHA, among others), and limited amounts of legal rights. American workers have less competition for employment, higher wages, and a higher job availability. The economy will suffer slightly, but mostly it will be the pocket books of owners of the crooked companies highering illegal immigrants.
