The Real Immigration Problem
The Real Immigration Problem
It is Not Lower Wages
In debating immigration, arguments claim immigration drives wages down. You probably have heard many people on the right say the same thing but it is misleading.
Realistically, immigration lowers not wages but costs while growing the economy. If you want to replace your roof, chances are immigrants will be nailing the shingles down. If you want to hire an American to do it, you probably won’t be able to afford to replace your roof. With the immigrants, your roof is replaced. The companies selling shingles, nails, hammers, and ladders benefit. The food places such as restaurants and grocery stores benefit from the foods the immigrants buy.
Work will always go to where it is affordable. Take the clothes you are wearing now and check the labels. I am fairly confident, you will be hard-pressed to find any clothes you have, being made in the USA. From regulations to minimum wage, the USA has exported many industries such as textiles. Of course, we benefit from free trade as well.
However, the real problem is crime and illegal entries. The US Federal prison population has many foreign-born criminals, particularly from Mexico (https://www.bop.gov/about/statistics/statistics_inmate_citizenship.jsp) Please note, this does not take into consideration inmates imprisoned at the state and local level.
The border with Mexico is simply too porous and unreliable in vetting visitors to the United States. People in the USA become victims and the criminals end up being jailed on the US taxpayers’ bill.
One way to fix this would be to charge people for crossing the border. Make it a modest $10 fee per vehicle and have them pay both ways. The funds would be split between the US and Mexico to help house criminals and reduce cross-border criminal activities. This would require a treaty with Mexico but it would help cut down on crime crossing the border. Since many of those criminals are involved in the drug trade, the charge would at least tax them.
Of course, in regards to prisons, there are still race issues to deal with as well. Notice, this graph does not mention Hispanic.
Mexico is so corrupt with the cartels running that the government that in my mind trying to jail or house criminals on that side of the border is fruitless. Not sure where the money would go on their side.
Legal immigration not immigration. All farmers, big or small, and corporations should not be hiring immigrants unless they can show a legal form of a visa. There are plenty of different types of visas to choose from. Any farmer or corporation that is caught not following immigration law should be heavily fined.