Mother Jones - GOP's Immigration Plan: They're Taking Our Jobs!

[pampango]

http://motherjones.com/mojo/2010/12/gops-immigration-plan-theyre-taking-our-jobs

Despite the harsh anti-immigration rhetoric from some Republicans on the campaign trail, the newly empowered GOP could be walking a tightrope when it actually comes to tackling the issue in the next Congress. The anti-immigration wing of the conservative base will demand that Republicans fulfill their promises to crack down on "birthright citizenship," among other fringe issues. But in the run-up to the 2012 elections, the GOP also risks alienating Latino voters in key swing states if the party leadership adopts the flamethrowing stance of its far-right flank. In the face of such a conundrum, the Republicans' game plan on immigration has begun to take shape: Keep focus on the economy by attacking illegal immigrants for taking away jobs from American citizens.

With unemployment rates still stubbornly high, it's probably the most compelling argument the GOP can make to justify a bigger crackdown on illegal immigration. Immigration researchers have shown that, in the long term, expanding immigration raises a nation's economic productivity and average income. But during a recession, there's research indicating that immigration hurts employment rates and income levels for native-born workers in the short term, according to a widely circulated study by economist Giovanni Peri. Defending the long-term benefits of immigration will be a hard sell when average Americans are still struggling to cope with the recession, with an economic turnaround still no sure thing.

That doesn't mean that Republican solutions will necessarily help American citizens get more jobs or improve the economy. In fact, many businesses have resisted the mandatory use of programs like E-Verify, arguing that such requirements are onerous and costly. In a case that's currently before the Supreme Court, the Chamber of Commerce has challenged a Arizona law that revokes licenses from businesses that refuse to use E-Verify to verify the immigration status of its employees. According to Peri, rather than forcing businesses themselves to crack down on illegal immigrants, the government could help native workers by making its legal immigration system more flexible, adjusting visa levels to fit the needs of the economy. But such nuanced solutions might not get much airtime at a time when political leaders can still capitalize on economic fear and uncertainty.

[customerserviceguy]

1. E-verify is 'onerous and costly'???

I thought it was free, and anybody who can work a computer can use E-verify. At some point, we're going to have to limit the tax deductibility of wages paid only to those wages for which an E-verify certificate can be produced.

Also, anybody who cites 'studies' on the benefits of immigration fails to distinguish between legal and illegal immigration, therefore, these so-called 'studies' are irrelevant to the discussion.

[dkf]

2. Finally the left acknowledges this.

"during a recession, there's research indicating that immigration hurts employment rates and income levels for native-born workers in the short term"

The question is if high unemployment is systemic or not. If it is, then the short term becomes the long term.

The key to amnesty for illegal immigrants is full employment. Until and unless we achieve this American citizens would be disadvantaged by legalizing this group.

[earthside]

3. No doubt about it.

The home construction industry was been devastated by two things: the sub-prime bubble and illegal immigrants working for sub-minimum wages. The greed of owners on both counts led to the collapse. Even before the bubble burst, qualified, experienced dry-wallers and framers, roofers and painters were being let go for cheap, exploitable "undocumented" workers.

People willing to work for less than the prevailing wage in an industry are going to put downward pressure on wages and benefits -- how hard is that to understand?

[dkf]

4. Some people think if you acknowledge the obvious you must be a bigot.

[zbdent]

5. point out that it's not "taking away jobs from American citizens" ...

it's companies giving jobs to illegal immigrants, because they don't want to pay real wages to U.S. citizens ...