2 of 109

Write now Article Tools

There's a well told myth that illegal immigrants "do the jobs Americans don't want". And a look at the jobs filled by illegal immigrants puts this notion to rest very quickly. The meat packing industry, construction, landscaping, roofing, hotel housekeeping...all of these are jobs that in many parts of the country are predominantly filled by illegals. And if you ask any unemployed American that wants to work, you'd find a number of them would take these jobs...and in many cases, even at the wages that are offered.

So why do illegals have advantages in these jobs? There are a number of reasons, and none of them boils down to a simple, one word answer.:

Illegals are more nomadic than the average American. Because of the communal style of living they often utilize, it's easier for them to pick up and move if the work moves. For this reason, they're not as dependent on the job market boom and bust of a specific area. They also bring friends and family with them, so it's easier to fill 20 job openings with illegals than with Americans. And yes, there are the less scrupulous reasons, such as running an end-around on OSHA laws and avoiding paying those tricky benefits we Americans often insist upon.

And it's often fair to say that illegals work for PAY that Americans won't accept for the job that is done. One of the changes that illegals in the construction industry has brought about is a reduction in wages for workers. While competing construction crews consider this a bad thing, it's a fair bet to say few people could be happier than the American homeowner. After all, if they can save money on the costs of labor, they certainly will. Land and materials cost quite a bit.

While it would be easy to think of illegals as "competing" for American jobs; however, nothing could be further from the truth. As the Baby Boomer generation ages into retirement, there will soon be fewer workers within the workforce than there are in retirement. This allows American workers greater choices over their jobs, provided they have the skill sets necessary for them. And serving a retired America will mean greater demand for service sector jobs, the very jobs that many of these illegals fill.

We live in changing times and we can choose to either adapt to these changing times or not. But whatever we do, illegal immigrants are not going away easily. Employers who deal with illegals are often working for a cheap, reliable workforce, and few groups fill that better than illegal immigrants.

Learn more about this author, Timothy Justice.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Do immigrants really do the jobs Americans don't want??
We want to hear your view. Write now!