FREELANCE WRITER
written by David Berry on May 02, 2008

Many people are missing the point about Immigration. We need the Guest Worker program because Americans will not touch the jobs filled by guest workers, mostly Mexicans. I recently tried to hire a person from a temp agency; the man did not turn up, and I waited twenty minutes before I could get any answer from the agent. The man's cellphone wasn't answered, and the agent could not find a replacement in any of her three offices.

The guest workers I have had the pleasure of working with ARE hard-working, will do anything asked of them without complaint, are grateful for the job, and turn up on time. Some Americans could learn a thing or two from them. And they're paid the same as everyone else.

Curtailment of the numbers in this work force will seriously affect US businesses, lead to an increase in the cost of many services and products, and even the elimination of some services and products. Before rushing out and changing already Draconian Immigration Laws and Regulations, (I do know about it, I've been through the system) it would be prudent to examine the repercussions to America of all this anti-immigration hype.

And what about the cost of increased "policing and enforecement"? Are you happy to pay for something that doesn't affect you now, but will if prposed changes are adopted?

New York Immigration
written by Sandhaya on May 02, 2008

This Varying opinions on immigration is good thinks.and I like this.

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Sandhaya.

New York Immigration Lawyer Marina Shepelsky, located in Brooklyn, assists clients from the New York metro area and across the United States in all immigration and naturalization matters http://www.e-us-visa.com />

" Mr. GORBACHEV TEAR DOWN THESE WALLS"
written by BRIAN HOLDER on April 04, 2008

It sure has lot of concerns about immigration, and I guess everyone is correct up to a certain point,I remembered in the days of a very great American President: Ronald Reagan when he told "Mr.Gorbachev to tear down these walls" and here we rae years later erecting a greater wall, apparently we did not learn much at all and instead of moving forward we went backwards,This nation is a land of immigrants and all the people who is very fussy about immigration, the only people who should be here legally are the Americans indians, and all the rest are immigrants some legally and some illegally, who wrap themselves up in the flag and want to out law immigration, people should live and let live, we are all passing through.
Cheers

Drive the Economy. It's a Federal Issue and a Human Rights issue.
written by Ken Carey on February 15, 2008

I served in The United States Marines and I follow the law. I also connect employer to bilingual and other hard-to-find people. In the past few months, I've placed former Marines, several English only speaking people and a few bilingual people in various jobs for my clients. All the people I’ve placed have several things in common, they are Americans and they pay taxes. No matter how one feels about immigration everyone must realize that the system is broke and it isn't going to get fixed overnight. Please keep encouraging our politicians at the Federal level to fix the problem. Semper Fidelis, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

No reason to "immigrate" anymore
written by Karen Hill on January 22, 2008

With the overall cost of living higher in the USA, it doesn't seem logical to move to the USA mainland. The structure of the Internet is very supportive of business on the Internet.

We wholesale and drop-ship gift items for anyone opening a business that needs product in both store-front business and Internet - only shopping sites. It is not required they live in the United States.

Being in Internet Ecommerce for 11 years, I've witnessed the slow but steady adoption of "work-from-home" principles finally being embraced by service industries. Private sector jobs such as customer service, helpdesk jobs, order-processing and other clerical type jobs are being performed without showing up at physical locations in order to work. Many city and county jobs in local governments can be performed from home just so long as the employee has Internet access to a database and a phone line.

An obvious example of jobs and industry performing well over the Internet is the service industry in India. You can find a tremendous number of articles explaining and complaining about India-based companies taking telemarketing, computer, customer support and freelance technology jobs from US workers simply because their fees are cheaper than US rates.

There is no reason to allow illegal immigrants to remain in the US. Global working opportunities are no longer limited to where one physically resides at. If people think they'll move here and get medical benefits - well, they should stand in line behind naturalized (both born here and legally natrualized) US citizens. A record 47 million Americans did not have health insurance last year (07), while the percentage of children without insurance rose for a second consecutive year. This includes people who deserve the benefits - bonafide US citizens (that includes citizens that take the time and effort to become naturalized and follow the legal process when moving into the US).

I agree with the other opinions that since it is illegal to try to reside in the us without legal procedure, the people should be sent back to their respective legal residence and be allowed to apply to LEGALLY return to the US regardless of what their current situation is. They knew when they came in to keep quite and scam our country and they also knew they were breaking US law. It is not to be tolerated, particularly with the fact that job opportunity in the US and US residency form immirants does not mean as much as it did even just a short decade ago.

...
written by Anne on October 19, 2007

In reference to the comment from Ken about businesses getting workers legally thru visas:

We currently have a program that brings nearly 500,000 LEGAL Mexican workers into the US every year. It’s called the H2A visa guest worker program. Businesses apply, and only qualify by proving that they lack enough domestic interest (US citizens) to fill the jobs they have. This is primarily important to the farming jobs in the Southeast. These guest workers are here legally and paid appropriate wages (generally above minimum wage). They are not taking jobs from us citizens, because businesses would not qualify for this program if they could fill staffing needs in other ways.

This program came into effect because of the shortage of migrant labor – this includes ILLEGAL migrant workers – available to farms needed, in order to continue to harvest crops so that produce prices remain low for American consumers. So much so that the federal government came up with a strategy to bring this labor in. Further, farms prefer to hire guest workers (versus illegals) because there is very little transience in among the community during the crop season. There is very little evidence that these guest workers become illegal once here under visa; most only want to come and work, and then return home to their families.

It is important to fully understand the immigration issue, and realize what current legislation provides for, and what its implications and impacts are before making knee-jerk reactions to incendiary language purported by certain interest groups. The H2A program is only one of many programs and issues about which the general public may be uninformed or unaware – and which these interest groups don’t seem to want to appear in a fair and thorough debate.

President
written by Kevin Kowal on October 16, 2007

What bothers me is that America's small business owners are being mandated to do a "clean up" job because the federal government has turned a blind eye. I do not hire anyone who cannot produce legal documents required by Homeland Security, but I will have to hire, at my own expense, a minimum of two employees to conduct the background research necessary to comply with most of the proposed "solutions."
Let's face it, if this were not an election cycle there would be no discussion on the issue. Does the phrase"social security lock box" strike a chord with anyone?

When will SC get serious?
written by PJM on October 16, 2007

If you're serious about enforcing immigration law, just send the ICE folks to all the construction sites around Charleston, on Daniel Island, in Summerville, in Mount Pleasant.....and listen to the cries of the developers as all their "private contractors" are escorted to the county jail! Of course, they're not on their payroll, we wouldn't want to encourage anything "illegal" .....The problem with immigration is the ILLEGALITY of some while othere pay their dues, go through the bureaucracy, take the tests and wait patiently for the system to complete the processing, such as my wife and I....We're now proud US Citizens, we pay our taxes, and we're grateful for this great country that welcomes all who would come here LEGALLY!!!

...
written by Randy Marsh on October 15, 2007

Theytukorjeeeobs!

...
written by Dave Hicklin on October 10, 2007

There are few if any issues more important than stopping the influx of illegal immigration. Removing the ones already here is imperative. The law that allows automatic citizenship to children born here must be eliminated without delay. This should also be retroactive for a predetermined period of time. The very existence of this country is at stake. Anyone that does not see the importance of this is an idiot. That especially includes those that employ, harbor, encourage or otherwise assist illegals. If the U.S. Government is not smart enough to understand the States must take charge.

Tired of hearing about Cheap labor. No such thing exist on coast.
written by Ken on October 10, 2007

I spend much time with various businesses in the state. I am yet to find a cheap alien worker, legal or not. Most payroll information I see is very well paid labor. The employers claim the benefit is in productivity. They show up for work and do what is asked. Hard working people for good wages that are dependable. "Sounds like Americans 25 years ago". My solution is to stop all social programs including education for illegals. If you are not an us citizen you write a check to state for any services you use. This includes schools, hospitals, etc. & just being born in USA does not make you citizen unless parents were legal. This would decrease the population of illegal’s 1/2. Then work on program so that a business can simply apply and get visas for number of workers he needs.

business owner and concerned voter
written by phillip holley on October 09, 2007

Illegal Immigration should sum it up. It is illegal and should not be allowed. The ripple effects have burdened all aspects of our society from healthcare, public safety, education, standard of living for working class Americans.
The short term greed of american business to employ illegal aliens has undermined a conerstone to our society.

eportation for illegal immigrants and Canadian and Mexican border fences need to be constructed and guarded.

I have always voted Republican, but will vote for the candidate with the best immigration solution.

Phillip Holley