Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Location: lifelong Detroiter transplanted to Milwaukee
117 posts, read 367,747 times
Reputation: 120
Advertisements
I don't really blame illegal immigrants for coming here. I completely understand why someone would come over the border trying to make a better life for themselves and their kids. I'd do it too if I had to. And they do it because there are people here who want to hire them.
I blame the companies and businesses who use illegal immigrants because they are too cheap to pay a fair wage for the work. Even though immigrants are benefiting in some respects from being here, they are also getting exploited in a lot of ways by these businesses. For example, the movie "Food, Inc." that came out a few years ago showed how many meatpacking plants actively seek out Mexicans to work in their meatpacking plants, then if the workers get any ideas about unionizing to get better working conditions the owners of the plant can THEN call in immigration to pick up the workers. Neither the immigrants nor American citizens are winning in this sort of thing - just the owners of businesses who get rich off immigrant labor.
So I wonder: Has anyone tried to put together a list of businesses and companies that are flagrantly using illegal immigrant labor to encourage people to protest and boycott those businesses?
If we could all stop fighting over the immigrants themselves and focused on the corporations who are getting rich off exploiting immigrants, then we might actually be able to solve the problem. Immigrants only come here because the companies want to hire them. If these companies were pressured into offering fair wages to American citizens, the problem would be solved.
I don't really blame illegal immigrants for coming here. I completely understand why someone would come over the border trying to make a better life for themselves and their kids. I'd do it too if I had to. And they do it because there are people here who want to hire them.
I blame the companies and businesses who use illegal immigrants because they are too cheap to pay a fair wage for the work. Even though immigrants are benefiting in some respects from being here, they are also getting exploited in a lot of ways by these businesses. For example, the movie "Food, Inc." that came out a few years ago showed how many meatpacking plants actively seek out Mexicans to work in their meatpacking plants, then if the workers get any ideas about unionizing to get better working conditions the owners of the plant can THEN call in immigration to pick up the workers. Neither the immigrants nor American citizens are winning in this sort of thing - just the owners of businesses who get rich off immigrant labor.
So I wonder: Has anyone tried to put together a list of businesses and companies that are flagrantly using illegal immigrant labor to encourage people to protest and boycott those businesses?
If we could all stop fighting over the immigrants themselves and focused on the corporations who are getting rich off exploiting immigrants, then we might actually be able to solve the problem. Immigrants only come here because the companies want to hire them. If these companies were pressured into offering fair wages to American citizens, the problem would be solved.
Nearly everything you buy from the grocery will have had an 'illegal's' work in one stage or another. That is, unless you buy locally grown produce and never eat processed foods.
Here is an excellent article that focuses on the meatpacking industry in Greely, CO. It's from 2006, so this isn't a new problem. Also, this in only Iowa Beef. I happen to know that within a couple of hours from where I live that Tyson, Pilgrims Pride, and Simmons chicken plants keep a high number of undocumented workers. I've been told if they didn't they would not have the labor they need to get the work done.
Anyway, read this and you'll get an idea of how deep this goes, and the political power of these corporations that hire undocumented workers.
[url=http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20061226/NEWS/112230087]Meatpacking industry has a long history of reliance on immigrant laborer | Greeley Tribune[/url]
So I wonder: Has anyone tried to put together a list of businesses and companies that are flagrantly using illegal immigrant labor to encourage people to protest and boycott those businesses?
Also, don't buy any music CD's or movie DVD's from Wal-Mart because their supplier of these to all 3800 Wal-Mart stores hires illegals in its warehouses. I will post them to this website shortly.
Well, I dont eat meat, so I am not supporting that side of it. I will be happy to boycott illegals in any form. I love my legal Mexican associates, all things being equal. They did things the right way, and have normal, productive lives. They are educated, clean, well mannered, polite, and bring the best of their culture to share.
I don't really blame illegal immigrants for coming here. I completely understand why someone would come over the border trying to make a better life for themselves and their kids. I'd do it too if I had to. And they do it because there are people here who want to hire them.
I blame the companies and businesses who use illegal immigrants because they are too cheap to pay a fair wage for the work. Even though immigrants are benefiting in some respects from being here, they are also getting exploited in a lot of ways by these businesses. For example, the movie "Food, Inc." that came out a few years ago showed how many meatpacking plants actively seek out Mexicans to work in their meatpacking plants, then if the workers get any ideas about unionizing to get better working conditions the owners of the plant can THEN call in immigration to pick up the workers. Neither the immigrants nor American citizens are winning in this sort of thing - just the owners of businesses who get rich off immigrant labor.
So I wonder: Has anyone tried to put together a list of businesses and companies that are flagrantly using illegal immigrant labor to encourage people to protest and boycott those businesses?
If we could all stop fighting over the immigrants themselves and focused on the corporations who are getting rich off exploiting immigrants, then we might actually be able to solve the problem. Immigrants only come here because the companies want to hire them. If these companies were pressured into offering fair wages to American citizens, the problem would be solved.
I agree that the employers share a lot of this blame. However, you giving a pass to illegal aliens for their part in this is not being fair. I would never jump another country's borders to give myself and my family a better life knowing full well it is against the law and that it is creating a problems for the families in the country I migrated to illegally. It is a selfish and unethical motive. What does that teach their kids? That breaking laws is acceptable to get what you want?
I agree that the employers share a lot of this blame. However, you giving a pass to illegal aliens for their part in this is not being fair. I would never jump another country's borders to give myself and my family a better life knowing full well it is against the law and that it is creating a problems for the families in the country I migrated to illegally. It is a selfish and unethical motive. What does that teach their kids? That breaking laws is acceptable to get what you want?
I don't believe you, nor do I believe you have any idea of what you would do if in their shoes. The sheer desparation of real poverty; real hunger; and death always at the door is something most Americans have not lived.
If you have children are you saying you would let your child die from disease or hunger when you might have a chance to slip across the border to work and send money home?
I agree that the employers share a lot of this blame. However, you giving a pass to illegal aliens for their part in this is not being fair. I would never jump another country's borders to give myself and my family a better life knowing full well it is against the law and that it is creating a problems for the families in the country I migrated to illegally. It is a selfish and unethical motive. What does that teach their kids? That breaking laws is acceptable to get what you want?
Quote:
However, you giving a pass to illegal aliens for their part in this is not being fair.
Isn't that exactly what you do for the corporations such as Tyson, Con-Agra and Iowa Beef who hire them?
If not, them I dare you to go grocery shopping without buying a product that is attached to IB or Con-Agra.
Most products in this country are monopolized by a handfull of huge corporations that supply a particular industry.
There is little you can do. Grow your own veggies and can them---buy a cow to raise and butcher. Get a few hens to lay eggs. You got it made, man.
the OP brings up a great point. we should be boycotting these businesses. this is something a national party like the tea party could do, help keep abreast of the business and publicize them so at least the public would be more aware. we could also be putting more pressure on the government to issue big fines for companies that do hire.
I have an idea, increase the penalty for companies caught hiring illegals and prosecute the illegals for, well being ILLEGALS! Catching these companies hiring illegals is next to impossible so we need to make them not want to be here. Kinda like the immigration laws of Mexico.
Many of the companies who hire illegals are following all of the hiring processes they are required to follow under federal law, and guess what...it isn't that hard to fraud your way through that process with the help of good forged/stolen ID docs. Outside of Arizona, South Carolina and Mississippi the only process non-government Companies are required to follow is to have their new hires fill out an I-9 form. Anything beyond that (SSA check, E-Verify, etc.) is going above and beyond what is required of them under federal law. I work closely with these processes on a daily basis and I could go into detail on the weaknesses of all of them. Even if a company makes the applicant fill out a conditional job offer form, puts their information through an ID check with the Social Security Administration, then hires them and puts their information back through an E-verify check the applicant could still get through with false docs. It actually isn't that hard.
In other words, the processes in place are the problem, not the employers.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
