Yes

by Wayne Leon Learmond

Created on: May 14, 2010

The main duty for any country in the world is to look after their own first. Whether 'their own' are healthy and able, or handicapped in some way, all deserve full employment within the jurisdiction of the country they are born in. Unemployment in those who are disabled in some way, either mentally or physically, has always been high, but some countries are now looking at this very seriously indeed.

For instance, in the US over 209, 284 people with disabilities work for the Federal Government. Go back , maybe 30 years ago, and this would never have been the case. Federal disabled employment, has remained at a constant level since 1980, with opportunities available for the disabled unemployed at all levels of employment within the federal system.  The  ADA {American Disabilities Act} along with the Executive Order 13078 have increased awareness of employing those with disabilities by the federal managers.

With such measures at hand these should increase the total number of disabled people who seek work within federal agencies. Of course disabled people have to be proactive in their search for work within the federal government {networking with the said agencies and contacting listed resources}.

By law, agencies throughout the United States have to develop outreach efforts, this will enable and help them identify suitable qualified people who have disabilities. Job fairs and campus recruitment are where employers can also be found looking out for disabled people best qualified to be able to do a job for them.

All those things have been set up, and rightly so, for those disabled people who would maybe not even be given a chance in the job market. So, the question is should a country like the United States, or even the UK hire illegal immigrants to do the same jobs?  Illegal immigration has been the bain of every country throughout the years.

There have been many illegal immigrants over the years who have eventually become nationalised as United States citizens.  After years of fighting for what they believe is their right to exist as American citizens there have been many illegal immigrants who have become fully paid-up Americans, pledging their allegiance to the American flag, working full time and paying full taxes.  Yet there are others who hide from the authorities, after entering the country illegally.

It is such people who undermine the indigenous population time and again by working for less. Why should employers pay full time wages, when there are people who will do the same job for less than the going rate? They and their families take up valuable employment opportunities that could be given to those American citizens who where actually born and have paid taxes into the country. This is a very volatile question and has to be looked at seriously.

No country in the world owes illegal immigrants anything at all, and another major problem that illegal immigration brings is a black economy. The illegal selling of drugs, criminal goods, selling goods and not declaring any income earned from those items, pose huge problems for any government trying to put a stop to illegal buying and selling. 

The problems a black economy can bring are many such as: Inequality, firms benefit because they do not pay tax.  Loss of Tax Revenue for the said countries where this is going on. Regulation of standards is difficult within a black economy, living standards and GDP is difficult to regulate. Also, all of those things mentioned normally create criminal activity. In theory, firms should always try to employ those American citizens, who they feel could best do a job for them - whether they be handicapped in some way or not.

But the world very seldom works on theory. What you will find is that most firms will employ the cheapest labour they can get their hands on. This then undercuts American workers, who, in many instances lose their jobs to those willing to work for less. In the UK  there are huge fines for companies hiring illegal immigrants.

The illegal immigrant is arrested and the company involved can be fined thousands of pounds. No illegal immigrant in the UK is allowed to claim a home, benefits, or allowed to work, until their status is resolved. Countries should always look after their own first before anyone else.  But, as for employers hiring illegal immigrants, then the same problem will always arise: if companies can find people to work for less than the going rate, then they will do so.

When all is said and done, illegal immigration is not as black and white as it first seems. There are many reasons why people are looking to escape from the country they where born in. Each country that the immigrants arrives in should take their cases on merit. If a person is in genuine fear of his or her life, then of course countries should help where they can. Such immigrants will willingly talk to the authorities about the situation in their own country and will apply for asylum for themselves and/or their family.

But all those who sneak into the country illegally, unbeknown to the authorities, should be shown no mercy. Such people harm the employment prospects of the indigenous population. If you are handicapped then even more so, because it is hard enough to find work without having the obstacle of illegal immigrants applying for the same job positions. Illegal immigration {those immigrants sneaking into the country} should always be met with a firm hand.

In the UK, a a cap, or limit has been placed on non EU {European Union} immigrants arriving into the UK. This has recently been announced by the new UK Government, to try and stem the flow of immigrants that were literally melting and becoming 'invisible' once they hit UK shores. Of course, the problems of illegal immigration can also give rise to the Far-Right  extreme parties which can cause a domino effect of social unrest and disorder.

United States employers should always look to hire their own first, at every opportunity. Illegal immigration has no place in societies that are trying to exist peacefully, as one nation. Those who are illegal should always go through the correct  authorities and have their cases put before immigration officials who will decide whether they can stay or not.

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