Cheaper Labor, Yes. But At What Cost?

You got it! Sounds like you live out here! This is exactly what happens and I see it everywhere here! They are in violation of the safe health and housing laws as well. There's a starting point. Enforce the maximum number of residents per house and it will start to break some of this comfort and convenience apart. And of course, if any illegals are caught - buh-bye! And as far as the Mexican government...they can kiss my donkey. They have far worse laws regarding illegal immigration than we do. For instance, getting caught a second time as an illegal there is a felony. Away you go, along with the key to your cell. We should adopt this practice, just for familiarity sake. So where do they get off on telling us how to deal with illegals?

Agreed! And we Americans welcome ALL who are looking for a better way of life! But we have rules and procedures for being allowed to pursue this "better way of life" here in this country. All we are asking for is for those who desire to live here to follow our rules. This is our house. We built it, we manage it, we maintain it. If someone doesn't like the rules of our house, they are free to go to someone else's house. Just like in your home, if some total stranger were to move in without your permission, you would do what it takes to have them removed. We are no different.

Sadly, I agree with your comment on our gov. But we must band together through voting and petitioning to get these boneheads to do what they are elected to do. We can't lay down for this. I'm starting some letters of my own to send to select representatives about this issue and still am considering an internet petition. If many of us do this on our own and actually send the letters to congress, local mayors, county reps. and so on, we will eventually get our requests and demands noticed and acted upon. Got to take action.

How sad! I've always heard that Holland was a wonderful place to live and work from other Americans who have actually moved there. Now you folks are also going through your own he11 with illegals. That really sucks!! Is there anything being done about it? Or is your government being unresponsive like ours?

You speak most accurately of the situation. What's worse is the government's taxing, feeing and fining of businesses such that the cost of doing business continually goes up which fuels the desire to hire these illegals. A self-perpetuating disaster if ever I saw one. So in reality, there are TWO fronts that we have to attack in order to preserve our domestic economy. Hopefully our next president will see the full picture and be on our side - the Americans' side. We have to stop making it so tough to do competitive business in this country.

A very sad truth. But if citizens start applying pressure to the local governments to A) Make it less costly to do business locally and B)Enforce what laws they are allowed to regarding illegal immigrants and the hiring of them and continuously pressure the feds. to take action regarding the deportation of the illegals, it will begin a wave effect. Just maybe, it will turn into a tsunami.

It used to be that many Americans worked in such conditions. Who do you think built the railroads, dams, highways through the desert, picked cotton, oranges, strawberries, etc. before the employers started hiring illegals? The French?

Just because the weather is a problem, doesn't make it okay for paying low wage.

Imho, before California and neighboring states became US territories, they were part of Mexican colony. So if you say that Mexicans are crossing the border, well they were there long before there was a border. That is why many places in the US have Spanish names e.g. Los Angeles, San Francisco,San Fernando,Colorado,San Antonio,Sacramento,Alamo (no pun intended). During the great railroad constructions, many but not most workers are Mexicans and Indians, it so happen that their bosses are Americans. Btw, kimberlylynn is right at some point, if you would see that a number of American companies are already moving their manufacturing operations across the world -in China. Why? Because labor there is cheaper, no labor union, work even on Sundays and most holidays, 10-hour shifts, no insurance, medical and lots more, and the most crucial of them all is that an average American factory worker's monthly salary is equivalent to +/- 2-3 months for a Chinese factory worker. Imho again, that's the sad part of having a capitalist economy. It's a two bladed sword. Profit is usually the benchmark, the more savings derived from lesser operations and salary costs the more profit made. At least the US has control of a country rich in oil. Unlike, ours that rely heavily on imports.