...well it would only be a matter of time before even the liberal wing of the Dem. party starts realizing that the warm-fuzzies of the illegal alien myth just isn't so when Americans including Democrats, their neighbors, their friends, their families are losing their jobs and it won't be so "warm and fuzzy" to find out that news jobs are being handed out to illegals....gee, who would've predicted that?


Jim L. Cunningham
DC Progressive Examiner
News junkie, Jim L. Cunningham, is a freelance writer and author of the blog, Jaundice James. He came to Washington DC to pursue his passion for politics. jaundicejames@hotmail.com


Will illegal immigrants take the stimulus jobs?

Examiner is growing in Philadelphia

Will illegal immigrants take the stimulus jobs?
8 comments
January 25, 12:53 PM
by Jim L. Cunningham, DC Progressive Examiner
« Previous
Next »

Will Obama insist Americans get the new infrastructure jobs?
Bush was fond of saying of illegal immigrants that they do the jobs that Americans won’t. (I’ve always felt that had more to do with what companies pay for those jobs.) Now, with so few jobs out there, many Americans are willing to reconsider what they’re willing to do, how hard they’re willing to work and how much money they’re willing to work for. Many are willing to consider new career options – any option, as long as they can get a job. They’re hoping to get the infrastructure jobs that will come with the stimulus plan.

But will they?

Roads need repaired. Bridges need to be built. Wind turbines need to be put up. Schools need to be renovated. There will be public transportations projects. Thousands, perhaps millions of people will be newly employed by the companies and contractors that win the bids to take on these projects. But who’s to say those businesses will be employing Americans at decent salaries?

Greed is a powerful motivating force and these employers may be tempted to hire illegal immigrants, as they often do, for these labor-intensive jobs with the intention of saving money on labor and thereby increasing their bottom line. These projects are a potential gold mine for businesses big and small. Why would they waste that money paying high wages to Americans when they can get illegal immigrants to do the work for less, and without benefits? What makes us think these businesses will act in the same interest that the stimulus is intended? Greed, after all, did get us here.

If, ultimately, American taxpayers are supporting and paying for this stimulus under the promise that it will create jobs for American workers, shouldn’t they receive a guarantee that they will, in fact, go to American workers? Will there be fine print in the bill that requires companies that win these contracts to employ only American citizens?

I say this now, not because I hate illegal immigrants – I don’t. (I’m for giving them a quick path to citizenship and getting them on the books as soon as possible.) I say this now because I can imagine the repercussions if Obama fails to include the “Americans onlyâ€