I'm actually supposed to be writing a paper on this right now, but I haven't picked a side yet. The reason they hurt the economy is that their cheap labor puts American workers out of a job. You do, however, make a valid point.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

They both have a point. But you know how they want to get rid of them all? The economy of the U.S.A would severely drop if that were to happen.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

My friend pays them to mow his yard for cheap. Nothing racial intended.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Yeah, most Americans wouldn't do things like that for such little money.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Cheap labor that feeds on our taxes without paying them. It's something that would seem to be good initially, but has been proven in the past that it will fail in the long run, almost like introducing paper currency into a failing economy has been shown time and time again to only cause inflation and send an economy plummeting into depression. Besides, this economy would be better boosted by providing jobs for legal citizens and cutting down on outsourcing to foriegn countries (or to cheap labor). I'm sure all of us could handle a little more expensive groceries if it brought our economy out of it's rut.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

They help the economy but hurt the government, so of course they're trying to get rid of them. Personally, I don't really care if someone is here legally or not. Legal immigration is a bitch and don't blame anyone for not doing it

by Anonymous 13 years ago

How do you think people that have gone through the process LEGALLY feel to see people coming in by the thousands illegally who didn't have to work nearly as hard as the former did to be able to proudly say they're an American citizen? Most legal immigrants don't look very kindly on their illegal counterparts. Besides, note that I said it will fail in the LONG RUN. This illegal, cheap labor will only have temporary benefits for the economy. And if that knowledge isn't enough, think of how many illegals live off welfare and, since they can't be paid legally, don't pay any of the taxes that are used to support them. Or how jails in the southern USA are crowded with illegal citezens that are also living off the taxes of the LEGAL citezen. I personally know and am friends with many illegal hispanics, living in the South, but I still think illegal immigration does much more harm to the USA than good, and the good done is only temporary.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

My apologies, that wasn't meant as a reply, but considering there have been illegal immigrants working since the creation of child labor laws (and even before) you can't say that it will hurt us in the long run, when we've had it for so long already

by Anonymous 13 years ago

The rate it's at now, though, is what's harmful. Yes, there have been at least a small number of illegal workers probably since the USA's birth. However, considering how extreme the amount of illegal workers is now, which has brought down the prices of products like the OP said, the trend of increasing number of non-taxpaying workers taking the jobs of tax payers feeds a vicious cycle of increasing unemployment of people who have to take on a growing tax load. The illegal work you're talking about in the USA before today's condition was sporadic and thin in comparison and didn't have anywhere near the economic impact that it does today.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Cheap labor for jobs others don't wanna do is one thing. If they're gonna live in America and do OUR jobs, they need to pay taxes like the rest of us. If they really believe being here will give them a great opportunity, they need to apply the legal way, and it'll be worth the wait.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

You buy your grapes in a box?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Me and my family are immigrants, and it's completely unfair to those of us who worked our asses off to obtain citizenship, and see people come here illegally and receive more benefits...

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Obviously op has not had to try and get a job

by Anonymous 12 years ago