Helping Workers in Hard Times

On February 19, 2009, The New York Times published an editorial “Helping Workers in Hard Times” the article is about how many people are accusing illegal immigrants of taking jobs that don’t pertain to them, or so they say. According to the article undocumented immigrants are already being accused of many other scandals including environmental ruin, crime waves, global warming but the worse being leprosy. Most of all illegal immigrants are forced to work in jobs that don’t pay them enough, work in dirty dangerous industries, and are treated unfairly. The publisher backs up his argument very well using evidence about a clean carwash campaign in Los Angeles that states “they are routinely cheated of wages, denied breaks and exposed to chemicals that burn their skin and eyes”.  With those facts being stated now if we throw out all these workers are Americans really going to take over all these duties and do these jobs? For example, are they willing to work as a labor worker to stand outside for hours with no breaks? Or stand outside Home Depot asking for work? I agree it won’t happen.

Another major argument made is about having an E-Verify system for every business receiving money according to the Congressional Budget Office. Basically to make sure everything obtained from these workers is correct and nothing is being used illegally for example, fake socials that many immigrants use to seek employment. They don’t want them to benefit from anything since they are not paying taxes. But does it really matter if you are from here or not? Any person documented or undocumented should have the support as any other individual, it should be equal. Also, any person being maltreated should feel that support that they are not alone and have rights like Americans do.

I agree with this article illegal immigrants cause no harm to this environment and/or economy if anything I believe they help it. Surviving here is not easy and especially when you have family’s to support, a job is a job and anyone can do it if the chance is given. However, the publisher could’ve added more information to get his or her point across regarding the status of many of these illegal immigrants like stating how many employers use these workers to get the job they need done and once is finished they don’t pay them and threaten that they will deport them if they reach out to anyone for help. Till this day we still see it happen where an immigrant is being taken advantage and many people don’t seem to care. Also, how they have no protection upon them when working in dangerous areas, a protected individual should be one of the employer main concern. But with undocumented immigrants that doesn't seem to be the case so if they end up getting hurt or having an accident which causes their life they are not held responsible for it. Most of these immigrants families depend on them and no one lends a helping hand to them. So how do these immigrants affect society?  If the little money they receive from these low paying jobs is the same money that they spend here. After all, that's one of the major concerns here in the US (money).