Of course they don't "represent the same threat" But they're still here illegally. Look, I totally get that some people really don't care if there is a massive illegal underclass here, as long as the less-desirable jobs get done. But that doesn't change the fact that they're here illegally. Regardless, they're not being targeted.
And what happens if and when there is a serious labor shortage and these less-desirable jobs go unfilled?
If there's a serious labor shortage then wages will inevitably rise. I'm ok with that. Might be some short term pain. It's certainly better than addressing a possible labor shortage by tolerating a massive, in-the-shadows, under-the-table underclass that is only made possible by a porous border.
Let's do a little math. We currently have about 8 to 9 million undocumented immigrants working in the country. We have 7 million currently collecting unemployment. How much will wages have to rise for the 7 million unemployed will have to go for them to take the immigrant jobs? And how can 7 million do the jobs of 15 to 16 million? Especially when the average length for someone to be unemployed is about 3 months, meaning 90 days from now, 3.5 million on unemployment will have found gainful employment, likely in a job better than what the immigrants are doing right now. We also don't need immigrant labor to be in the shadows. Shine a light on them by enacting a Gang of 8 style guest worker program and make them legal. Last, we know these immigrants aren't a permanent underclass either. DREAMers, who are kids of immigrants allowed to legally work in the US account for billions of tax revenues. And only now are the oldest starting to reach their peak earning years.
You might be willing to tolerate short term pain. I seriously doubt that a majority of Americans feel the same way. I would also add that between a likely agricultural labor shortage and Trump's proposed tariffs the inflation under Biden that was responsible for Trump's election will seem mild compared with Trumpflation.
They are being targeted. I posted an article yesterday-people are being picked up by ICE simply because they are dressed as migrant workers. No distinction is being made between criminals and non-criminals.
How about don't be here illegally? Simple solution. Not sure why people are surprised. Trump said he would deport Illegal aliens and is doing it.
How about ICE not racially profiling? Several reports from Navajo Nation leaders about their tribal members being detained by ICE. And still wondering who we are going to get to work these 8 million jobs? Does Trump even have a concept of a plan?
So agree that changing the law to allow immigrants to work here legally would be akin to removing the shackles on the slaves, many of whom remained in the south and continued to make a living picking cotton as freepersons.
So you don't understand the difference between forcing a person to work against their will for no pay and people asking to work for pay?
Trump was elected because a certain segment of the electoral thought that he could lower prices. They didn't bargain for even a temporary painful transition.
I would also add that even after they were nominally freed their status was closer to that of feudal serfs than truly free persons. A lot of former slaves continued picking cotton as sharecroppers. They were tied to the plantation with a good percentage of what they "earned" going to the owner of the plantation. Sharecropping: Slavery Rerouted | American Experience | Official Site | PBS
Yeah, it is a great system. You should try it out: The Green Card Game - See If You Can Find Your Path to Citizenship
Sounds like a sweet game. Something like 13 million people managed to win already. Also, that doesn't include the several million that play a different game that allows them to just work here.
We issue about 140k legal work visas a year. We have a minimum of 8 million working. It would take over 55 years to replace our current undocumented work force with documented immigrants! Even if we doubled the legal number, we're still looking at a couple of decades!
