Blaming Illegal Immigrants for Fewer Jobs is a Losing Battle

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The recent uproar over Arizona's new immigration law has re-focused attention on an issue that has festered for several years. Immigration reform has been a hot-button political issue for a long time, though little has been done by the federal government to actually address the problem. This lack of government response has been one of the main reasons many people sympathize with (and even support) Arizona's over-the-top legislation.

One on the main areas in which illegal immigration affects people directly (particularly black people) is employment. It is no secret that many companies hire illegal immigrants because they know that they can pay them less and work them more hours without worry. An illegal immigrant is highly unlikely to complain about being overworked or underpaid for fear of being deported. It is a basic business practice to attempt to get the cheapest labor possible with the maximum amount of production. In that context, it is virtually impossible for American citizens to compete with the thousands of illegal immigrants now filling many low-paying, unskilled positions. Even in skilled trades (such as the construction industry) the situation is the same. From a pure business standpoint, it's just common sense. Who would you hire? An employee who is willing to work long hours for half the salary and no benefits or the one who will demand a decent wage, benefits and a reasonable shift?



Throughout history, there has always been conflict among those at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder for job opportunities. Some of this conflict is a natural outcome of being in an environment with limited earning possibilities. Yet, there are still many of us who, instead of addressing the root issues relating to unemployment in our communities, choose to take the easy and ignorant path of attacking immigrants for "taking our jobs."

The reality is that the majority of jobs that have been lost in the United States have been shipped overseas to countries with cheaper labor. Many of the remaining jobs (that some claim were taken by illegal immigrants) have been difficult for companies to fill because they pay so little.

There does need to be immigration reform in the United States, for a variety of reasons. But making illegal immigrants the scapegoat for present employment conditions is simply a continuation of a foolish pattern of workers attacking other workers, instead of organizing toward a common goal of having basic rights and privileges as employees for all.

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