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Here’s How to Fix Nation’s Broken Immigration System
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The current immigration system is badly broken and needs a comprehensive overhaul. The Obama administration has put immigration reform on the legislative agenda this year by calling for a new system that “controls immigration and makes it an orderly system.” The White House also says such a plan should include a path to legal status for undocumented workers.
A new report released today by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) lays out an approach to fixing the system in a way that protects the rights of all workers. Written by former Labor Secretary Ray Marshall, this approach already has been adopted by both the AFL-CIO and Change to Win.
Marshall told a Capitol Hill press conference this morning:
Current immigration laws subject foreign workers to grave risks, exploitation, and uncertain futures, while depressing wages and working conditions for all workers. This framework addresses these defects. All workers will benefit from these reforms.
The report, “Immigration for Shared Prosperity: A Framework for Comprehensive Reform,”‘ points out that the American economy has become dependent on foreign labor. Indeed, most of our workforce growth since 1990 has come from immigration. But, at the same time, according to the report:
The programs for admitting foreign workers for temporary and permanent jobs are rigid, cumbersome, and inefficient; do too little to protect the wages and working conditions of workers (foreign or domestic); do not respond very well to employers’ needs; and give almost no attention to adapting the number and characteristics of foreign workers to domestic labor shortages.
Click here to download the report.
Marshall’s approach calls for the establishment of an independent commission to monitor industry trends and labor needs for future immigration. The commission, which would be established in two stages, would improve the way labor market shortages are measured and put in place procedures to efficiently adjust foreign labor flows to employers’ needs while protecting domestic and foreign labor standards.
The approach also calls for:
- A secure and effective worker authorization mechanism. Border control alone is not likely to be sufficient, the report says. At best, 40 percent of unauthorized border crossers are stopped. But even completely successful border controls would not stop illegal immigration because an estimated 40 percent to 45 percent of these immigrants have overstayed visas. So Marshall proposes that the government complement border controls with a much more effective visa enforcement system.
- Rational operational control of the border. Because most unauthorized immigrants enter the United States to work or join family members who are working, the report proposes creating a secure identifier issued by the federal government for immigrant workers with biometric data and a unique work authorization number for each new job based on individual PIN numbers.
- Adjustment of status for the current undocumented population. Rounding up and deporting millions of undocumented workers would violate American values of fairness and due process, but also would be impractical. Instead, providing a clear path to citizenship would raise labor standards for all workers, the report says.
- Improvement, not expansion, of temporary worker programs, limited to temporary or seasonal, not permanent, jobs. To prevent the well-documented abuse of guest workers, Marshall recommends that there be a limit on the period guest workers can work and that the use of these workers to occupations the independent commission certifies have real, temporary labor shortages and there have been good-faith efforts to recruit domestic workers.
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38 Comments
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Enforce the laws this great nation all ready have. Make more laws against hiring illegal aliens and illegal aliens. Build the fence and secure the border. If an illegal alien is picked up, confiscate everything and all assets the illegal alien has and sell it at a public auction and give the money to the government to build the fence and secure the border. 70% or more of the UNITED STATES CITIZENS do NOT support illegal aliens. Call your congressman and union rep. and tell them you do NOT support AFL-CIO on this decision. Think about it deport 110 illegal aliens maybe open up 50 jobs for UNITED STATES CITIZENS.
I like the way you think Titan
Titan you are correct we do not have a broken immigration system we have an un-enforced one.We do not need Amensty or more laws.We need to really enforce the ones we have and make E-Verify apply to every employer in the country regardless of what the job is.The AFL-CIO should get off this rights for illegal alien crap and start working for the membership they already have.I know my building trades local has heard enough of this save the poor illegal because they are just hard working folks like us.They are law breakers as far as I and many others are concerned.
I couldn’t agree more Dr. Especially regarding E-verify. It’s free and it works. It should definitely be mandatory for ALL employers! And it should be permanent as well.
This illegal aliens are costing us Americans, that have over 7 million unemployed americans our jobs.They drain our welfare that is meant for Americans.Food stamps care for their children in our schools.That is just to start with.Why is their only 1 other comment on here ? that is because you are not being fair to us Americans.remember this people our lawbreakers not law abiding.Deport all illegals back to their own country.You need to stop backing there outragious behaviour.80 percent or more of us Americans do not support the president on his decision for amnesty for this law breakers.If we went to their country and broke 1 of their laws we would end up in jail or beating by their guards.Everyone stop paying your union dues to afl-cio and see if they won”t change their mind about wanting to support this illegal aliens to our country.Call and write your local congrssman and tell them that we will not put up with this anymore.And if they do support the pres. on making this illegals legal.Lets vote them out of their offices.We also need to try to impeach Obama cause he is also an illegal alien himself.Only a person born in America can be our president,he was not born in America.We need to ask him again to provide proof of his real legitimate birth certificate.He will not provide the real one because it will say where he was really born.And for sure that is not America.He was born in another country not in our America.Impeach Obama now everyone !!!!!!
Be careful. Your ignorance is showing. Reread the 4th bullet in the article. Read it carefully. Yes there really is “well-documented abuse” of guest workers, yet they come. Amazing, isn’t it. WHY? Now that’s the question. It is not the workers that are the problem; it is rather the current situation that allows them to be here in the first place, to be exploited and to be kept as ‘slaves’ with no worker protections, no benefits, poverty wages … yet they come. WHY? The approaches in the article to resolve this difficult situation make a lot of sense. However, they must be effectively implemented, and non-union companies must follow the rules, yet they don’t. They have been ‘allowed’ to exploit not only the illegals, and legals that come here with permits, but the American worker as well. This is why the EFCA must pass and be strongly enforced.
By the way, Hawaii is a part of the US, didn’t you know that. That is where President Obama was born, and he has already shown his birth certificate, and IT HAS BE AUTHENTICATED.
Focus on the real truths of these matters, not the fabrications and opinions of those who have told you what to believe while spewing their hatred and bigotry. Half truths and slanted statements are far more dangerous than blatant lies.
Jobs should go to citizens not foreign nationals. The union should support mandatory use of the E-verify system to insure only legal citizens hold the scarce jobs available today.
We need to end the misuse of the H1-B program and retrain laid-off citizens to do high tech jobs.
Immigration should only be used to maintain parity between workers and jobs. Labor excesses drive down wages and increase reliance on public aid.
Shame on the AFL-CIO if they support amnesty!
Has the Communist International taken over the leadership?
WHEN SOMETHING IS BROKEN BEYOND A SHATTER OF A DOUBT, WE NEED TO FIX IT.
Did you read the report? We can repeat “enforce” like an endless mantra and we will still have a big problem in our hands, not to mention a human tragedy for those persons that are compelled to come to this country for work that generally operates under unfair conditions as undocumented workers are vulnerable to employers who wish to earn higher profits even if that means that their workers suffer dire employment conditions and paltry wages.
How can you “enforce” when the law is full of loopholes that exempt “independent contractors” being subjected through the same verification procedures as is applied to workers classified as “employees”?
We need to get smart about this. We can’t continue repeating the same knee-jerk slogans while our country goes on suffering the consequences derived from laws that’s simply don’t help to provide solutions to all parties involved.
THE TIME IS NOW. WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER TO PUSH OUR CONGRESS TO TAKE A VALIANT STANCE ON THIS ISSUE AND PASS A BILL ENACTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND SOLUTIONS PROVIDED IN THE MARSHALL REPORT.
WHEN SOMETHING IS BROKEN BEYOND A SHATTER OF A DOUBT, IT’S TIME TO FIX IT.
Did you read the report? We can repeat “enforce” like an endless mantra and we will still have a big problem in our hands, not to mention a human tragedy for those persons that are compelled to come to this country for work that generally operates under unfair conditions since undocumented workers are vulnerable to employers who wish to earn higher profits even if that means that their workers suffer dire employment conditions and paltry wages.
How can you “enforce” when the law is full of loopholes that exempt “independent contractors” being subjected through the same verification procedures that are applied to workers classified as “employees”?
We need to get smart about this. We can’t continue repeating the same knee-jerk slogans while our country goes on suffering the consequences derived from laws that simply don’t help to provide solutions to all parties involved.
THE TIME IS NOW. WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER TO PUSH OUR CONGRESS TO TAKE A VALIANT AND INTELLIGENT STANCE ON THIS ISSUE AND PASS A BILL ENACTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND SOLUTIONS PROVIDED IN THE MARSHALL REPORT.
Why do we need a new AMNESTY? In 1986 an amnesty was enacted by Congress, and it did not work? From the start corruption set in, and anybody who could forge a utility bill saying they had been here for a number of years, was approved. Instead of 3 million agricultural workers, it was a signal for every impoverished family member to slip into America and join the amnesty crew.
If our cities were not clogged enough now, highways, hospitals and schools we need another amnesty like a hole in the head? Amnesty just means the next waves of illegal aliens will make us their destination. They can expeditiously learn all about the taxpayers handouts, once they slip past the border guards. Just like Anchor baby Mothers who receive instant benefits.
There are anywhere from 13 to 40 million people here without papers, which is drain our economy like our wars. Another amnesty could further devastate our treasuries. Then the families of the new migrants could sponsor their immediate family members. Too much to explain: go to NUMBERSUSA, JUDIALWATCH, FAIRUS, and CAPSWEB.
— WHEN SOMETHING IS BROKEN BEYOND A SHATTER OF A DOUBT, IT’S TIME TO FIX IT.
Did you read the report? We can repeat “enforce” like an endless mantra and we will still have a big problem in our hands, not to mention a human tragedy for those persons that are compelled to come to this country for work that generally operates under unfair conditions since undocumented workers are vulnerable to employers who wish to earn higher profits even if that means that their workers suffer dire employment conditions and paltry wages.
How can you “enforce” when the law is full of loopholes that exempt “independent contractors” being subjected through the same verification procedures that are applied to workers classified as “employees”?
We need to get smart about this. We can’t continue repeating the same knee-jerk slogans while our country goes on suffering the consequences derived from laws that simply don’t help to provide solutions to all parties involved.
THE TIME IS NOW. WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER TO PUSH OUR CONGRESS TO TAKE A VALIANT AND INTELLIGENT STANCE ON THIS ISSUE AND PASS A BILL ENACTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND SOLUTIONS PROVIDED IN THE MARSHALL REPORT.
An injury to one is an injury to all. Exploitative employers are the adversary, and the workers they exploit are our sisters and brothers. That is true no matter where that exploitation happens, within our borders or without, because as long as bosses can get away with it, that is where the work will go.
To win we must stand together as working people. If the boss divides us into factions bickering with each other, we lose. Even if it is only for your own sake, in order to protect our jobs, our wages, and our benefits, we must build solidarity with immigrant and foreign workers, and raise their working conditions to save our own. If we’re going to talk about enforcement, then wage and hour laws need enforcement, too!
What you want us to be sheep? NO WAY! Maybe you need to get on our band wagon and denounce this AFL-CIO decision, our union leadership need to do what the members want, not what the special interest groups want. The illegal immigrants ARE destroying our nation. In the state of Illinois the cost of illegal immigrants was 3.8 billion dollars, and the group took 8oo million dollars off for sales tax and other tax’s, so the illegal immigrant still cost the state 3 billion dollars and this was done in 2007. That why we need a law that will send the illegal immigrant back home, confiscate all the illegal immigrant assets when they are arrested and sale the stuff at public auction. When this happens illegal immigrants will want to keep their stuff and so they will head back home. I do agree we need E-Verify, so call your congressman and Union Rep. and tell them to support it.
I agree with most of the other replies, especially the first two paragraphs by Kurt B. We already have sufficient laws to deal with this. No administration has ever provided the willpower or the manpower to enforce these laws.
I am not xenophobic and have no problem with legal immigrants. Illegals are “jumping the line” ahead of the folks obeying the laws. It’s a sad fact that Latin America is sending us their unskilled poor and using the USA as their welfare agency. Keep in mind that the Mexican government, which openly encourages illegal immigration into the US, imposes a penalty of two years in prison for anyone convicted of illegal entry into Mexico. How’s that for a double standard.
I highly recommend Lou Dobb’s book, WAR ON THE MIDDLE CLASS, to all American workers who are disturbed by this and other unfair practices like outsourcing.
I agree our immigration system is broken. It allows TOO MANY immigrants/foreign workers to enter our country. We allow more legal immigrants per year than every other country in the world COMBINED! To say that our immigration laws “subject foreign workers to grave risks, exploitation, and uncertain futures” is BS! What does subject SOME of them to these conditions is the FACT that some of them circumvent our laws and enter our country ILLEGALLY! If people want a fair chance in this country then they need to COME HERE LEGALLY.
Many of the illegals in this country today have paid a coyote to smuggle them in. With the money they paid the coyote they could have followed the rules and come here legally. But they don’t want to do that. (Of course many of them can’t do that because they’re CRIMINALS!) The ones who could come here legally would rather pay the coyotes and jump ahead of all those folks who are waiting for their chance to come here legally.
Amnesty by any name will NEVER be accepted by the American people. Amnesty or a ‘path to citizenship’ will lead to chain migration and an overwhelming increase in our population. Our highways, water systems, electric grids, etc. are all, for the most part, outdated. They CANNOT handle an overwhelming increase in our population.
Our government is allowing their decisions regarding ‘immigration’ to be influenced by groups such as La Raza and MALDEF who CLAIM to speak for our Latino/Hispanic population. Those groups MISREPRESENT themselves! They are also allowing their decisions to be influenced by big business who claim they need more ‘foreign’ workers when what they really mean is they need more ‘CHEAP’ labor. Problem is, that ‘cheap’ labor comes with one hell of a price tag for the American people!
“The anti-immigration forces have taken one principle, law and order (tinged with a rancid whiff of xenophobia), and elevated it over every other principle: loyalty and patriotism, charity and courage.”
-Steve and Cokie Roberts
What do you win from pretending that the immigrants are not there… just because they get “no amnesty”. If your real concern is that immigrants are driving wages down, wouldn’t it help for them to be “legalized” so that they’re not vulnerable enough to work for lower wages and worse conditions?
Are people forgetting that “undocumented” immigrants pay huge amounts of sales taxes, “hidden” import taxes, gas taxes, and they consume much less social services than the average citizen under the poverty line?
Face the facts these people are here! Big business wanted them and they got them. It is impossible to round up 12 million people and send them back home, it will not happen. There will be some sort of fines/taxes to pay to become legal. The people that should be paying these are the employers that have gotten fat and rich off the work of these people. They should be fined for hiring them and using them. The home builders for example here in Texas use all undocumented labor, (oh sorry, I know they’re independent contractors!) and the home prices are certainly not less, they are pocketing a ton of money, landscape companies same thing, I could go on and on. These folks have been raking it in, by not paying workmen’s comp., payroll taxes, and SS. Our workers cannot and should not have to compete with this. The employers need to be dealt with and should stop hiring illegal labor, that is the only thing that will discourage others from coming to the US.
I don’t want anyone rounded up,other then criminal employer’s! You might not want to face it, but work place enforcement “raids” work. Everytime there has been one and the illegals are arrested or chased. Jobs at that shop open up for American workers. And amazingly enough, at higher wages then the criminal employers were paying their illegal aliens, go figure. Some people think the answer is more compassion. Even while we Americans suffer some of the highest unemployment since the early 80′s. The problem as I see this compassion is that it is misguided,and creates the same victims as the criminal employers do. This problem isn’t hard to fix. Well, except that we would have to get our bought off,”do nothing for the American people”Congress, to make E-verify mandatory.
I’m glad to see others on this blog that agree with my sentiments. To them I say take heart, I am a NYC construction delivery driver, I come in contact with all trades and i’ve made this issue a hot topic this week. And I can tell ya that were at least 9 to 1 against amnesty under any circumstances. And I’m gonna keep talkin about this issue, not because I like to see people get pissed just talking about it. but that they know there are a lot of us that are in total disagreement with our Union’s leadership! And yea, pretty damn pissed about it to!
It’s pretty obvious to me that the only ones we can depend on to fight this is ourselves now that our leadership has sold out. So keep talkin Brothers and Sisters, call your congressmen call your senators. And when you see your local rep let them know that your pissed off that they came out in favor of amnesty, without bothering to ask any of us what we think.
With you all the way. E-Verify should not only be made mandatory but also permanent. No letting it ‘come up for renewal’. We should only have to fight that fight once!
And we need to let our reps know we don’t want the workplace raids suspended for the 2010 census either. They’re just trying to skew the numbers to give the sanctuary cities, and thus their states, more (illegal) representation!
It comes down to this:
If you allow one worker to be exploited, you decrease the security of all workers. That goes whether or not they’re legal, illegal, union, non-union, white, black, brown, yellow or polka dot. Failing to challenge employers who pay substandard wages to illegal immigrants just strengthens the employers’ position against all workers. Organized labor has been asleep on this issue and now is beginning to wake up. There3′s more on my blog, http://larryblaskosaid.blogspot.com, but this is the heart of it — don’t stand up for a guy trying to survive by crossing an imaginary line to look for work and you’re refusing to stand up for yourself as well.
Why Did The Unions Today Choose 7 Million Illegal Aliens Over 7 Million Unemployed Americans? Anyone?
We don’t have to round up and deport anyone. Making the E-verify system mandatory for employers would insure only legal citizens got jobs.
Big business wants labor excesses to insure an adequate supply of coolies for their sweatshops. Legalizing and unionizing illegals does nothing to help the unemployed citizens, both native born and naturalized, in this severe downturn. But something bigger and more sinister is behind the open borders movement. Special interest groups use big government to advance their agendas. They want a Balkanized population of squabbling minorities and a permanent underclass of unemployed. This creates a dependent constituency of people who vote for a living, competing for the largess of tax monies.
They, of course, can’t argue this point, so they use their control of Hollywood and the corporate media to flood the public with sappy stories of hard working immigrants, separated from their families, just wanting a better life. When it is pointed out that unemployed citizens are hard working and want a better life for their families, they are slurred with terms like nativest, xenophobe and the ever handy ‘racist’.
We need to renegotiate ‘free’ trade agreements and have a time out on immigration until all citizens who can work have a job. Only when employers have to compete for the best workers will good wages and benefits return.
Despues de haver leido todos estos comentarios , que en relidad en parte es verdad , pero si en muchas formas esta algo alejado de la verdadera realidad a esta situacion nacional , el cual se vive en el pais , en parte la historia y en gran parte a muchos que hoy son mienbros con muchos years de antiguedad en sus uniones y que hoy en dia son los responsables directos de estos malos momentos por lo que pasa nuestras uniones y tambien por l.o que pasa en el pais , existen dificultades en las uniones asi como en el propio gobierno y todo en la nacion esta en crisis , asi no e4s solo por que emigrantes o algo asi sea la razon para decir que es la causa del problema, ahora les pregunto a ustedes que comentan , y ojala que puedan pensar y opinar objetivam,ente en la realiodad de lo que se vive hoy en dia , QUIENES CONTROLAN EL PAIS ? quienes ? , es penoso leer que escriban y dejen ver a todos sus vacios en cuanto a la realidad nacional del pais y no es necesario echarle la culpa al AFL-CIO, de todo esto , en la historia AFL , era diferente a CIO , estos dos trabajaban individualmente hasta que llegaron a unirse por su propia razon y todavia existe esas razones no claras aun. No pretendo ofender por que esa no es el objetivo , pienso que el objetivo es trabajar juntos por una unidad , una unidad entre todos , sin diferencias algunas en estos momentos la nacion lo requiere asi.
Los aspectos mas importantes de todo esto es ver con claridad los problemas , ser mas objetivos y reales , para asi no cometer errores en cuano o quienes o donde se inicia el problema de esta recesion que se vive en la nacion. En donde cada uno es responsable directo y responsable indirecto y que hoy solo se debe de dar una respuesta la respuesta de la accion , con palabras ,no se llega a resolver en prioridad lo que pasa , en todo esto se debe de llevara un censo total a todas las locales y a empesar a realizae en punto de la unidad y el de la democracia interna en las propias uniones. entonces miremos en nuestras propias casa y luego ver el problema en si de la nacion
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Deportation of large numbers of people who have committed at least three felonies to get into this country HAS and CAN happen. It was done in the Hoover, Truman and Eisenhower presidencies. Enforcing E-Verify would go a long way towards self deportation. No jobs, no incentive to stay. I am unemployed at this time and the thought that someone here illegally could keep me from working makes my blood boil! Union leaders: Help Americans, don’t just look at the huge money awaiting you in union dues.
To those that say illegal aliens pay certain taxes I can only say that I wish I didn’t have to pay federal taxes, state taxes and FICA taxes and just pay sales taxes. The welfare, health, and education costs of supporting illegal aliens and their dependents are expected to go into the trillions if you would take the time to do some research.
Those that feel that we who oppose illegal aliens are racist are just another attempts to divert the issues of legality and fairness to American workers.
BTW calling an illegal alien an undocumented immigrant is like calling a drug dealer an unregistered pharmacist.
I like that last line. Hadn’t heard that one before. One of my favorites is: calling an illegal an undocumented worker is like calling a home invader an uniinvited houseguest. LOL!
Ior please write your comments in English. This is not a Spanish speaking country yet.At least have nerve enough to let us non Spanish speakers know what the hell your saying.
It’s unbelievable that the AFL-CIO, a group which purportedly supports worker rights has bought in to the corporate/political rolling amnesty open borders BS that only serves to depress wages and working conditions in the USA.
The AFL-CIO is selling out the workers and has become no more than a puppet front for US and foreign corporate interests intent on eliminating the middle class.
Senator Ted Kennedy said in 1986 ‘This amnesty will give citizenship to only 1.1 to 1.3 million illegal aliens. We will secure the borders henceforth. We will never again bring forward another amnesty bill like this. ’ except for the 1994 amnesty, the 1997 amnesty extension, the 1997 amnesty, the 1998 amnesty, the 2000 amnesty extension and the 2000 amnesty.
Amnesty encourages illegal immigration and creates a permanent rolling underclass of workers. If the predictions for the number of illegals in this country are as accurate as the 1986 estimate we are looking at 27 million people who have broken our laws and entered this country illegally.
Flooding the labor market with this many people will increase competition for jobs and puts downward pressure on wages and working conditions. More illegal workers will come to fill the positions vacated by the amnesty and we will be right back where we started. This cycle will not end until we say no to amnesty.
This topic is a prime example of why we need worker protection language in any trade agreements including mandatory minimum wages in third world countries who have corrupt governments that crap on their own people. I feel sorry for the latin American populations for being exploited. What they need to do is overthrow their governments and replace them with a labor party that will pass minimum wage laws, worker compensation, unemployement, and OSHA laws. Low wages do nothing for economies but transfer wealth to the ruling elite. Those countries are prime examples of why Ronald Reagan’s idea of Trickle Down ecomomics doesn’t work. I certainly don’t blame them for wanting to come here the way they are treated in their own countries. I spoke to a contractor in Louisiana after Katrina, he was hiring undocumented/illegal workers saying he couldn’t find anyone to hire, they wanted to work, he was just a poor little ‘ol small businessman “trying to get by”. I’ve seen the type before- dressed in overalls, driving an older truck, poor mouthing and I’d be willing to bet his net worth was a least a million bucks. The taxpayers are supplementing his employment practices. Same way in Texas. I live in Illinois and we are like the 2nd or 3rd highest concentration in America. I agree with you all, they need to make E-Verify permanent regardless of what the US Chamber of Commerce says, and go after these rogue employers. Fine them and give them three strikes and your out of business! Let them take their business to Mexico and deport the business owners to Mexico and make them live there if they want to employ illegals.
Here’s How to Fix Nation’s Broken Immigration System:
ENFORCE THE LAW!
Sadly, NOTHING in Organized Labor’s “Framework for Comprehensive Reform” addresses strict enforcement of the law.
This is why we’re in the mess we’re in. This is why the “Comprehensive Immigration Reform of 1986 did not work. No one is enforcing the immigration laws that are on the books!
John Sweeney and Marshall are you reading or listening to the people? We are Union members and we love our great country, and we are telling you amnesty for illegal aliens is wrong. We are telling you and the government that we support E-Verify and deporting illegal aliens. We support United States Citizens getting jobs, with unemployment being so high 9% or more around our great NATION. We need you, John Sweeney and Marshall to give the United States Citizens support not the illegal aliens.
Yea, Titan, you and the rest on here may be union “members” but you are NOT unionists. I won’t call you racist or xenophobic or any of the other epithets that get tossed your way because the only one that really fits is traitor, to the working people of the world. You may belong to a union but you understand nothing about what unions are about – they are not protection rackets for you and your buddies. Nor are they about jingoist nationalism. Ever read anything by the people that died for your right to have the unions you are currently in? They were fighting for the rights of ALL working people the world over. The enemy is the BOSS, not your fellow worker. If he is unorganized, organize him! If he is ignorant, teach him!
You can build all the walls and deportation centers and E-verify systems you want and you will never stop people from leaving a country despoiled by the same forces that are destroying this one (corporate greed). People have rights by simply being people, regardless of their “legal” status. What do you think the Declaration of Independence means when it says “all men are … endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights”? But that would take having an understanding of history and thought that doesn’t come from FOX news and the back of beer can.
So the government and union I pay taxes and dues too support should work for the benefit of non-citizen non-members? That’s some screwed-up thinking.
Ok let just call them scabs does that make you feel better. Fact is the illegal immigration is destroying our country. If you want to help go to their country and protest for their rights, like our United States Citizens did for us. Your right about company’s that hire illegal aliens instead of United States Citizens. I do understand History do you? or maybe that illegal alien can bring you another beer, mow your lawn or maybe you can start looking up FACTS. FACT Chicago 15 most wanted 11 are hispanic and most of them are illegal aliens. FACT illegal aliens work for less and that drove down the wages in the meat packing plants. Check it out in the 80′s it was around $15 a hr. now $10 a hr. One more I am an Proud Union Member But I am an PROUD Citizen of United States which has laws against illegal immigration. Are you a TRAITOR to the GREATEST NATION IN THE WORLD? Illegal aliens need to be DEPORTED.
“What do you think the Declaration of Independence means when it says “all men are … endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights”?” That would be INalienable rights and IMO, since it is a line from the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America, it means that the LEGAL residents and citizens of the United States of America are endowed with those rights. OUR Declaration of Independence was written for US. Not for the world.
As for people having rights by simply being people that may very well be true. But that does not give them the right to enter this or any other country illegally. While we may have rights, we also have LAWS. And those who choose to ignore our (immigration) laws are here ILLEGALLY. And neither the citizens nor other LEGAL residents of this country should be expected to ignore that illegality or welcome said illegals with open arms. Be here legally or be gone!
“What do you think the Declaration of Independence means when it says “all men are … endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights”?” That would be INalienable rights and IMO, since it is a line from the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America, it means that the LEGAL residents and citizens of the United States of America are endowed with those rights by that declaration. OUR Declaration of Independence was written for US. Not for the world.
As for people having rights by simply being people that may very well be true. But that does not give them the right to enter this or any other country illegally. While we may have rights, we also have LAWS. And those who choose to ignore our (immigration) laws are here ILLEGALLY. And neither the citizens nor other LEGAL residents of this country should be expected to ignore that illegality or welcome said illegals with open arms. Be here legally or be gone!