It may not be a criminal offence, but it certainly is a civil offense. Just because you don’t get thrown in prison for doing something doesn’t make it legal.

Matt–According to CNN there are 7000 high school dropouts each DAY in the US. Tyson could use these guys/girls. BTW, Tyson does employ a lot of legal workers. I see them all the time in our ED, with what we affectionately call “Tysonitis”.

We produce fewer and fewer unskilled laborers every year, as evidenced by the falling dropout rates. Unless your goal is to produce more unskilled labor, we simply do not have enough workers to fill the jobs.

Agri Labor, poulry plants, etc. can innovate and learn to get by without the slave aparthied type labor like other places like Australia. Also when I travel outside of southern california to the red states I see Americans and teenagers doing the jobs that supposedly Americans won’t do.

I see them coming all the time to my hospital for the “free stuff”

There are, let’s say, 12 million undocumented workers in this country, of which about 8 million are working. There are about 100 million people of working age in this country. We have 4% unemployment, and of course not all of those people are physically able or would do (by virtue of having the ability to earn more) agri labor, poultry plant work, etc. The numbers simply don’t add up.

And, wages will not increase, the work will go to where the wages are cheaper. So not only have you lost those jobs, you hurt the place they buy groceries, gas, have their cars repaired, etc.

The majority of these people aren’t here for the “free stuff”, they’re here because there is work here.

Really, I think it’s the entitlement that is frustrating. But when you give something for free for long enough, people will expect it, and then use it inappropriately.

http://americancomedynetwork.com/FLASH/MexTourism.htm

This is a mass email that idiots like to forward.

In any case, I know the system is at the breaking point. I’m also sure in the border states undocumented immigrants are packing the ER’s, and might seem like most of the problem in those areas, and maybe they are. But the fact is they’re here for now. What’s going to be done to prevent them from coming? Sending around stupid emails? Building a fence? Doubling the Border Patrol? Or, we can do like Reagan (and what Dubya wants to do) and grant amnesty every 20 years or so. That’s easy, because HCA gets to keep their workers, the construction industry won’t collapse, and lawns will stay freshly manicured in Los Angeles.

The fact is, denying health care to non-citizens or deporting them will not immigration because there is too much incentive to come here. THIS WILL ONLY END WHEN THE GOV’T DEMANDS THAT EVERY EMPLOYER VERIFY SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS, and penalize those who don’t.

You can’t have the cake, stomp on it, piss on it, deport it and then eat it as well.

Why do I speak Spanish? At least the little that I do?

Because I studied it for four years in high school and I love the language. Lord knows I’ve had numerous opportunities to use it every day!

I believe that everyone in this country should speak at least a bit of English to get by in day-to-day life. But in my experience, once a patient knows you are willing to try Spanish for them (and where I live, they do appreciate it, they are willing to let you hear some of their English. They just don’t want to appear stupid or to make mistakes.

So when I show them I’m willing to sound silly and make mistakes in Spanish, we help each other and manage to get through the visit, and in very serious situations with no translator, we use a cordless phone translator system that is easy and covers every imaginable language.

Now, coming here because you don’t have to pay up front? That just sucks. A bit of my paycheck went for that operation! And I didn’t even get a thank-you note…..