300 suspected illegal immigrants caught in SC raid (fit in, wages)

[raegany]

As someone who came to this country 6 years ago from Canada and followed every single rule, paid a lot of money in immigration fees and attended every single meeting, physical and interview I am elated to hear that these investigations are actually taking place and working! It doesn't matter where you come from...if you want to live in a different country follow the rules and wait in line like every other immigrant who's trying to do things the right way.

[g-man430]

Great news. Hopefully this continues.

[jbar1]

Originally Posted by roadpony

This is happening throughout the poultry, meat-packing, and most other agricultural industries throughout the country.

Not to excuse illegal immigrants whatsoever, but it's a shame that conditions in their home countries cause them to take such desperate steps. And it's also a shame that those jobs would go unfilled otherwise when there are so many native-born US citizens who are chronically unemployed, many of whom are capable of holding jobs.

I have owned horses for many years. A large number of grooms and stable workers across the US are Hispanic, some legal and some not. Many of the ones I know have a tremendous work ethic. I'm sure stable owners would prefer not to have to deal with language (and other) issues, but can't find American-born workers who want these jobs.

Funny how there was a line of Americans at the door the next morning wanting those jobs... Come on... I for one would shovel some horse poop before my family went hungry.

[g-vegas]

I agree jbar1, I am so tired of everyone from SC representitives to the president saying that they are doing jobs Americans dont want, that is crap. I went to school for construction management and business. I worked since I was 14 with a construction company all the way through college. Just after I finished school I got layed off because my company could not compete. Its not that people dont want the jobs, they just cant get them. Hopefully this is just the beginning of these type of raids.

[whatever you want]

That IS a tired line that has worn it's welcome out.As we say around here "That dog won't hunt".The meat processing industry pays low wages for higher profits because they've got away with it for eons...the same with the corporate farms,fruit orchards,the hotel industry,trucking distribution centers etc etc etc....

It's not that WE won't do the jobs,it's that we won't do the jobs for slave wages to line the pockets of the greedy business owners.They could use American workers at a fair wage and charge the same price for their product,but that would mean one less month long vacation in Belize for a business owner or CEO or one less 5 million dollar year end bonus for the same.If they'd start giving these company owners and policy makers life in prison for treason for hiring illegals and shooting illegals on sight as invaders how much do you want to bet illegal immigration would stop tomorrow?It's a money game for the businessman who pays lobbyists out the rearend to keep it that way.The ICE raids are just tokens for the news to make us feel like the gooberment is trying.It's not INS's fault either,the politicians pull the reins on them because they could arrest illegals 24/7 and use every bus in the country to deport with and still be behind if the pols would let them do their job.

As far as feeling sorry for the mexicans in their own country is concerned,that's a wasted emotion for several reasons.

They let it continue.They have every major manufacturing job that we've ever lost.Rise up and demand better working conditions and wages or continue as they are.Either way,stay home.

I have been to Mexico several times and the squalor many live in is of their own doing.

Our country had to rise up against greedy textile mill owners,coal mine operators,politicians(who would have us working for free if we layed down and took it) and the like to get our wages/conditions where they are today(they have fell off sharply since the early 80's thanks to uncle Bonzo) and many suffered in our country to get them that way,so why let the illegals undermine them or why feel sorry for them for them allowing their workforce to be sodomized by foriegn company owners?I can't sympathize with them in the least.Gotta feel sorry for someone?Feel sorry for all the American workers who've lost good paying jobs over the last 30 years to illegals,feel sorry for all the American workers who've lost jobs due to outsourcing,feel sorry for all the truckers who are right now losing jobs to mexicans,feel sorry for ALL the American workers who's jobs have fallen victim to NAFTA,feel sorry for yourself because your tax money is supporting illegals healthcare while a uninsured member of your family is sick and the medical proffesion doesn't help them because they can't pay.


And to the poster who referenced horse grooms.My family has raised/bought/sold and traded mules and horse for at least four generations that I know for a fact,the area I live in is a hotspot for thoroughbred/AQHA/gaited/walking horses and there are at least 200 horses within 5 square miles of me as I write this and I have NEVER seen an illegal at any of these farms around here in 43 years.It is just not tolerated and the owner that would be first knows that.So again,that dog won't hunt either.Stable/barn jobs are taken by kids in HS trying to support a pickup truck payment,as it should be and would be in other areas but instead the job goes to a illegal and thats one less job for a kid,one less truck sold at a local dealership,countless gallons of gas lost at your local filling station,money lost at your local insurance broker and the list is endless as that money goes back across the border.

[roadpony]

I'm not going to get into an argument about the horse industry and illegals, but I have owned and shown horses for more than 30 years. I know a lot of horse trainers throughout the country, and I know what they look for with regard to grooms and caretakers. Top show barns that travel extensive show circuits cannot, and do not, rely on "kids in HS trying to support a pickup truck payment." That's not to say that high school kids can't get a start in the horse business that way, but that's not where most trainers get most of their help from. I never said that illegals were pervasive in the horse world; I said that there were some of each. I stand by my earlier comments. But that's not what this thread is about.

Back to the topic at hand.... Glad to see people lining up for available jobs.

[staywarm2]

Originally Posted by roadpony

This is happening throughout the poultry, meat-packing, and most other agricultural industries throughout the country.

Not to excuse illegal immigrants whatsoever, but it's a shame that conditions in their home countries cause them to take such desperate steps. And it's also a shame that those jobs would go unfilled otherwise when there are so many native-born US citizens who are chronically unemployed, many of whom are capable of holding jobs.

I have owned horses for many years. A large number of grooms and stable workers across the US are Hispanic, some legal and some not. Many of the ones I know have a tremendous work ethic. I'm sure stable owners would prefer not to have to deal with language (and other) issues, but can't find American-born workers who want these jobs.

My brother was in the show horse business for years. Many of the workers back then were black, as well as young white people in their 20's. The Hispanics have made inroads in many fields simply because they will work cheaper. Let's start paying a living wage to people and they'll take the chicken processing, roofing, landscaping, constructions jobs, etc. Here in ATL many white construction workers lost their jobs when the Mexicans came in and worked for much less. Of course, this could be why we have so much shoddy workmanship. The people who own these businesses are to blame for much of this illegal immigration because they are greedy and want to pay as little as possible.

[JViello]

Originally Posted by staywarm2

The people who own these businesses are to blame for much of this illegal immigration because they are greedy and want to pay as little as possible.

For the record, I do not support illegal immigration nor do I think it's okay for companies to hire such people...BUT you have a flaw in your thinking.

I'm a small business owner - in a service related industry.

You want to know what drives my prices and business model? YOU the consumer.

The business owners are not greedy, (Most times) it's the customer who is greedy and calls around to 15 places to get the "cheapest price possible".

Well guess what...I'm not the cheapest. But you can very well expect that I am properly certified, I'll be on time, the job will be done better than your expectations and if there is a problem I'm insured and bonded and my guys earn a wage to support their familes and care about the job being done because of it.

But the consumer has been trained into a Walmart mentality for many of the services/companies that these workers are going too.

So YOU can do your part to help this problem and ask a few questions when getting a quote from your landscaper, carpet cleaner, painter etc as to WHY he is not the cheapest instead of picking up the phone dialing the digits and the first words out of your mouth are "how much for...".

[whatever you want]

Originally Posted by JViello

For the record, I do not support illegal immigration nor do I think it's okay for companies to hire such people...BUT you have a flaw in your thinking.

I'm a small business owner - in a service related industry.

You want to know what drives my prices and business model? YOU the consumer.

The business owners are not greedy, (Most times) it's the customer who is greedy and calls around to 15 places to get the "cheapest price possible".

Well guess what...I'm not the cheapest. But you can very well expect that I am properly certified, I'll be on time, the job will be done better than your expectations and if there is a problem I'm insured and bonded and my guys earn a wage to support their familes and care about the job being done because of it.

But the consumer has been trained into a Walmart mentality for many of the services/companies that these workers are going too.

So YOU can do your part to help this problem and ask a few questions when getting a quote from your landscaper, carpet cleaner, painter etc as to WHY he is not the cheapest instead of picking up the phone dialing the digits and the first words out of your mouth are "how much for...".

Very good point.

[whatever you want]

Originally Posted by roadpony

I'm not going to get into an argument about the horse industry and illegals, but I have owned and shown horses for more than 30 years. I know a lot of horse trainers throughout the country, and I know what they look for with regard to grooms and caretakers. Top show barns that travel extensive show circuits cannot, and do not, rely on "kids in HS trying to support a pickup truck payment." That's not to say that high school kids can't get a start in the horse business that way, but that's not where most trainers get most of their help from. I never said that illegals were pervasive in the horse world; I said that there were some of each. I stand by my earlier comments. But that's not what this thread is about.

Back to the topic at hand.... Glad to see people lining up for available jobs.

OH...you mean the"better than your horse" crowd...I'm sorry for the mistake on my part.LMAO.