Originally Posted by
d0cwho
It might surprise you, but stuff like this can actually benefit the U.S. long term. Pumping money into other economies and strengthening actually lowers illegal immigration. Mexico after NAFTA is a perfect result. Since NAFTA, must illegal immigrants come from Central America, not Mexico. I don't think a lot of Americans realize how poor those places are. It's the logical decision to leave and anyone of us with half a brain would make the same decision and risk the illegal crossing.
Also, I'll add one anecdote about illegal immigration. While I was in law school I interned in the legal wing of Immigration and Customs Enforcement ("ICE") working on removal cases. A vast majority of the cases were brought against individuals who were hard working and just trying to have a better life. A lot of them had children who were American and had every right to access the public schools and services. I even had one employer make sure I knew (I was confirming the immigrants story) how the individual had worked for him for 9 years without any problem. Another individual was able to save up enough money to open up his own tattoo parlour and toured the east coast giving tattoos. The fact that these people were able to eek out a living on minimum wage and send money to family back home should tell you everything about them and how hard they work. Frankly, the vast majority of the people I came across were living embodiments of the American dream.
If you want to fix this issue fix the visa system. Allow employers to hire workers from other countries more easily and punish those who skirt the system. Allow the free-market to determine how many people can come in. Don't make employers jump through hoops to get the workers they need, they will just skirt the system and illegal immigration will continue.