Thread: Just curious......

Does anyone know where I can find a study or some research on the negative effects our country receives from allowing illegal immigrants to send billions and billions of dollars outside the country annually? Surely, removing all those billion from circulation here in the U.S. has a huge impact, it has too. Personally, I suspect all of those missing billions is what is fueling corporate Americas need for cheap labor (to some degree anyway). Is it possible that the illegals are creating their own market? Doesn't it seem like the more of them there are - the higher the demand for cheap labor? In other words, the companies and businesses are absorbing these illegals for the sake of growth and profit. For example, let's picture a country without illegals. Let's say you have Joe the landscaper who has 4 employees earning a wage of $10.00 an hour. Further, those same employees are receiving medical & dental insurance, and 14 days of payed vacation a year. Now in marches the illegals. Joe thinks wow, now I can hire twice as many illegal (maybe three times as many) at $6.00 an hour and offer no benefits. By doing this, Joe has effectively grown his business to twice its size, which means his company can do twice the business. Now Joe is making twice the amount of money he was making originally with the same (or less) financial outlay than he was required to pay when he had the four American workers. Additionally, many of these illegal workers are attempting to live on very little (circulate few bucks into our economy), because they send large chunks of their money home. Anyone see any chinks in my way of thinking? If I'm correct, it is easy to see why corporate America loves cheap labor! Also, with the amount of money they're sending home weekly, monthly, and annually, it is easy to see why we are subsidizing corporate Americas cheap labor and the illegal needs. Who do you think ends up paying many of the non-payed medical bills (through increased costs and insurance premiums), feeding their children in school, educating their children, etc.

It goes without saying that Joe now has a large pleasure boat, a bigger house, two or more luxuary cars, and is sending his kids to better colleges. We won't even talking about his private investments. Joe has done all this at the expense of us whom subsidize his employees survival needs, because they don't won't to spend their money in OUR economy. I'm sure we've all heard the stories about 15 of them living in one house, sometimes even in one room, accepting government donations of food, standing in soup lines, having babies (at no cost) in our hospitals, free emergency medical care, making the free school lunch their childrens healthiest meal of the day, etc. The anchor babies are receiving food stamps, free medical and dental care, WIC, etc. (payed for by our tax dollars).

Joe is the enemy!

Sorry for all the ranting, but I would honestly like to know the answers to my first few questions. Thanks.

MW-

I would like to know the same thing. I would like some hard data. I have been told that the Western Union in my town wires more money to Mexico than any other Western Union in the country. I would like to write a letter to our paper stating that but can't back it up with fact. That should be public info right? Anyone know how to find that out?

Btw, "joe" in my town just bought a house IN CASH (this is no joke, it just happened). Now this "joe" probably doesn't send as much home to his familia but I would venture to say that he hasn't paid a dime in taxes, and makes most of his money in cash (he is an illegal from El Salvador who has had his own landscaping business here for a number of years).

I am venting too. It sends me right into orbit. I live in a tourist community where we cater to the wealthy summer residents. "Natives" are having to leave because they can not afford to buy homes here because everything is just so overpriced. Then here comes "joe" or Jose i should say, and he is able to buy a house in cash. Something wrong with this picture.

Why don't we ask GWB for the stats !!??

This can be easily explained. Joe is of 'the race'. And as such, he is a supreme being is he not? Case closed.

This can be easily explained. Joe is of 'the race'. And as such, he is a supreme being is he not? Case closed.

Actually, Joe is a greedy American businessman in my story, but IndianaJones like to think of him as an illegal.

I'm apalled that "Joe" is pooping on his own country because of an insatiable greed for money! Trust me, some things are just more important..........

Does anyone know where I can find a study or some research on the negative effects our country receives from allowing illegal immigrants to send billions and billions of dollars outside the country annually?

Been looking ... but maybe we can find an economic analyst and ask them?

(edit) Or better yet more than one because there might be different opinions, the more who answer, the better chance of finding a commonality.

Ladydrake wrote:

Been looking ... but maybe we can find an economic analyst and ask them?

I find it interesting (and disturbing) that such information isn't readily available. I would think such an issue would be a very valuable part of the equation when considering the ill effects of illegal immigration.

Based on what little I know about the subject... (eg. I am NOT an economist)

Yes, there are different 'camps' of thought on the subject. Typically, each side (pro-illegal and anti-illegal) covorts with and uses research and publications 'friendly' to each's side. One of the big names you'll find on 'our side' is professor Borjas at Harvard (an Economist of some type - IIRC). Try doing some Googling on his name for publications on the subject. If I have the time, I'll give it a shot myself.

The way I see it, there are two basic issues involved:

1). How much (sum total) money is involved?
2). What kind of impact does this net drain have on the US economy overall?

We know, for a fact that this is a HUGE boon to the Mexican economy (2nd largest source of incoming revenue - the last I heard), but your question is the one which there is a lot of debate and I have not heard any conclusive answers really.

Practically speaking, we could do a lot with the $20 billion (annually, and growing) or so involved. I think that illegals working in the US should be required to spend the money here and ONLY here. Also, those 'exporting' dollars out of the country in this manner should also be taxed and/or penalized for assisting such activity... and with that money, a special fund should be created to assist workers displaced by illegals and small businesses that compete with companies confirmed to have hired illegals - a 'levelling of the playing field' of sorts.

The de facto effect of the way things are, is that these 'remittances' in practice act as informal 'foreign aid' . Technically speaking, foreign aid falls under the jurisdiction of the US State Dept. and should be administered accordingly...

...My 0.02 cents worth...

Thanks for attempting to shed a little light on the billions being sent to Mexico by its citizens working in the United States PhredE. It is difficult to find any conclusive material on the subject. Anyone got a response to my question about illegals creating a market for themselves? In other words, if we deport 20 million illegals, forcing businesses to once again pay a living wage and benefits to all its employees would the demand for labor go down without placing undue burden on the economy? After all, billions of dollars earned by illegals aren't even spent here in America. Basically, I think our workforce is artifically inflated with illegals. As you know, some illegal families are now purchasing their own homes. If we deport 20 million illegals, wouldn't that reduce the need for homes, which would reduce the homebuilders need for workers. Further, as those illegals in the service industry get sent home, wouldn't employers (hotels, food service, tourist areas, etc.) be forced to pay higher wages to fewer people. This would also enable more people to work overtime to increase their wage potential, hence making their income a livable wage. I'm not 100% sure of where I'm going here, but I feel our economy would right itself within a year or two of deporting all illegals. Sure, corporate America would find their outrageous profits sinking to some extent, but many lower income folks (unskilled workers) whom have been negatively affected by illegals would once again have a chance at making a decent life for themselves and their families. Another bonus would be slowing down our out of control population growth. I guess what I'm looking for is a valid argument against my theory, anyone got one?

Annie maybe you should drop a dime on Joe. Someone should be interested in such a large cash transaction.