Vicissitudes and Victories

Further Thoughts on Immigration

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a piece on immigration and how we are all immigrants. I also talked about the fact that immigrants, illegal and legal, are human beings that have feelings and families--hopes and desires. Today more immigrants rose up to protest their treatment and reaffirm their status and importance to the United States. Today I want to argue that illegal immigrants have become scapegoats for the poverty of the nation. People argue that immigrants lower wages, which lowers the standard of living for the working class.

I believe that cheap prices for goods at discount stores drive down wages. Stores like Walmart and Kmart can sell goods at greatly discounted prices because they force companies to give them special deals if they want these big chains to sell their products. They also buy many of the products that they sell from third world countries that employ workers for next to nothing. Much of the reason that United States companies hire illegal aliens is because these workers will work for wages that are competitive with wages in the third world. So the real problem isn't just the immigrants, it is the United States' hunger for cheap consumer goods. If we would be willing to live with less things, wages would be higher and companies wouldn't feel obligated to hire so many illegal workers. Of course I'm oversimplifying much of the problem, and there are other motives for illegal immigrants as well, but we all need to remember that we are part of the problem.

posted by Joel @ 11:05 PM