ajcjobs > BlogBreak > Archives > 2006 > May > 05 > Entry
Why so many illegal workers?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This is a very hot and sensitive subject. How did there get to be so many illegal workers?
I know my 1,300 home subdivisions were built within four years. Most of the workers were Mexican’s who worked Monday through Sunday. Work ethic has never been a question.
I served a few years as the Workforce Compliance Manager for brown. We would fire HR supervisors who could not properly administer the U.S. Department of Justice’s form, I-9, properly.
Initiated by Congress on November 6, 1986, the I-9 requires employers to check an applicant’s identification to ensure they are authorized to work in the U.S. Failure to do so will result in significant fines to the company. When you hire nearly 200,000 employees a year, you have to get it right or you pay the Feds dearly.
Well, for those who did not comply with the law, it looks like we have an out of control problem, and there is no easy fix.
You can’t send everybody home and you can’t give 100% amnesty. Maybe the President’s proposed earn citizenship program is the better solution.
How should this situation be handled?
Comments
By Mary
May 5, 2006 09:14 AM | Link to this
There is an easy fix to this problem. If there are no jobs for them, they will self-deport. Make it so risky for employers to hire illegal labor that it is in their best financial interest to hire only legal workers. There should be no reward for those who have come here illegally, regardless of their sob-story. They have broken our laws from day one and now want us to turn a blind eye and allow that to continue and reward them. Paying a fine and back taxes is not punishment. That’s retribution. They should have to do that any way. If they really want to work here legally, they should have to go home and get in line.
By walter
May 5, 2006 10:10 AM | Link to this
let me talk you why?in a society where white people think that there are too good to performance certains jobs and where blacks for historical reasons are angry wiht their on society and there for expect for others to take care of them leaving that space for peoplple that is wealing to work harder and better wiht out be affecting for the social problems that this country have
By rsmith
May 5, 2006 12:40 PM | Link to this
I had been an unemployed engineer for 18 months and I tried to find any type of work with no success. I was willing, but when builders can hire off the street for I-9less workers, then why would they give me a chance and have to pay me minimum wages. Send them all home to start the legal method to get in this country.
By Terri
May 5, 2006 12:43 PM | Link to this
I dont care that there are a gazillion immigrants here, what I care about is that they are here the right way. I understand there are many reasons why they want to come here, but they need to understand two things. 1. Come here legally, and 2. come here with the ability to speak/write/understand english. I also agree that if they stop hiring illegals, then they will stop sneaking over here. We are all responsible for this.
By Ray
May 5, 2006 02:41 PM | Link to this
Don’t make Blacks or other peoplethe problem for illegals the law was broken fix that first
By Torhonda
May 5, 2006 03:07 PM | Link to this
It’s not only the Spanish who come into this country illegally; just about every foriegn resident from across the globe came illegally. However, the out of control illegal entrance of the Spanish community has caused Gang violence to rise, Drunk Driving Homicides to rise, Unsolved Murders to rise, Unemployment, Welfare crisis, and many more problems not mentioned. The Spanish communites are no longer looked upon as migrant workers they are looked upon as cheap labor within all careers. The Spanish community feels as though America owes them something, but that concept is all twisted. No one asked them for their cheap labor they volunteered it. In turn they really want more; and thats were the problem lies. We must share prosperity with the world not just the Spanish community. This is thte land of opportunity for all nations. FYI English will soon be the second language!
By juan
May 8, 2006 12:11 PM | Link to this
why are so many illegal workers kids in………irak??!!!
By Joe
May 8, 2006 12:22 PM | Link to this
Before any new laws are enacted, INS needs to focus on enforcing the existing laws. Since it is ILLEGAL for a company to hire a person who can’t provide proper documentation for the I9, penalties need to be consistently enforced against companies thumbing their nose at the law. Also, why were INS agents not present at all these pro-illegal immagrant rallies to find and deport those present without proper documentation to be in this country??? On a side note, it is getting extremely irritating to find good jobs that you cannot apply to because there is a requirement to be fluent in Spanish. I am fluent in Spanish, but why should that be a requirement for a job where the customer base is in the US-a nation whose legal language is ENGLISH?? I would not consider working for a company who so openly has policies encouraging ILLEGAL immagrants who don’t even want to bother learning the official language of the US.
By Squid
May 8, 2006 01:20 PM | Link to this
Send all the immigrants home. If they’ve had a child born here, give them the option to leave the child with a legal family or take the child with them. As for those companies who hired them illegally, fine them heavily and require jail time. America is a free country for its citizens. It is not a free for all for illegal immigrants and business crooks. The law has been broken by both the immigrants and the companies hiring them. Both should be deported.