HispanicVista Columnists

Katrina exposed a truth – there are enough Americans to take jobs illegal immigrants have.

By Patrick Osio, Jr./HispanicVista.com

September 8, 2005

 

    

 

We now have some idea where those workers referred to by the statement, “There are enough Americans who will do the work illegal immigrants do,” are to be found. Hurricane Katrina literally pushed them out of the attic onto roof tops in New Orleans. But Katrina also exposed that our nation’s poor are most often trapped where they are, unable as in the case of Katrina to move away from harms way, let alone move in search of better economic opportunities.

 

The plight of New Orleans’ poor was highlighted for the nation and the world to see, but it could have been New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Boston and all other major cities in the nation where the poor have been committed to their ghettos or barrios, or wrong side of the tracks or by whatever name used describing where the poor are kept as virtual economic live-in prisoners.

 

According to the Census 12.7 percent of the US population (37.5 million) including children live in poverty. Even if one considers the possibility that the 10 million illegal immigrants including their children in the US are a part of that number, from the over 27 million Americans left there are enough potential workers that presumably could be the replacement workforce for illegal immigrants. So yes, as numbers go the statement that there are sufficient numbers of American who might replace illegal immigrants is true.

 

But before those who have for so long made that statement go on a high-five celebration binge, let’s open discussion as to why America’s poor are not, at least at present, the replacement workforce.

 

People whose annual earnings are bellow, at, or slightly above poverty level earnings are trapped unable to afford moving to cities or rural areas where earnings may be higher. But worse, the vast majority of jobs provided to illegal immigrants don’t pay much better than those earned where poor Americans live.

 

Since Louisiana doesn’t have a state minimum wage, the Federal minimum wage is in force, and that is $5.15 per hour. On television interviews some of those trapped in New Orleans when asked said they earn $6 per hour and had been at the same job for several years. Taking the $6 hourly wage, the annual earnings (40hrs x 4.3wks. p/month x 12 mo) is $12,384.

 

The national poverty level for 2 people in a family is $12,830; for a family of 3 the level is $16,090; for a family of 4 the level is $19,350 and for a family of 5 (a couple and 3 children) the level is $22,610. The level continues to grow for larger families. Worse yet is that the national level does not consider cities where the cost of living is higher. For instance, it’s cheaper to live in Las Vegas or Phoenix than it is in New Orleans where the poverty rate is close to double the national average and where 40 percent of the city’s children live in squalid poverty. This phenomenon holds true in most major cities where the cost of living is higher than the national average. In Louisiana laws were passed calling for a living wage, but the state’s Supreme Court struck them down.

 

In other states and cities passing such legislation is an exercise in patience, perseverance taking years to accomplish if at all. When the idea of raising the minimum wage comes up, there is indifference by the public in general; and tremendous opposition by businesses and business supported elected officials.

 

Thus, not only are such strapped Americans unable to move, but move to what? More of the same somewhere else? What economic benefit is there for someone trapped in low earnings to move where the pay may be twenty-five or fifty cents per hour more?

 

The potential workforce unable to move, creates the need for cheap labor in areas where there are not sufficient poor to fill those jobs, hence, illegal immigration who in turn will eventually be the new generation of the strapped and trapped ghetto and barrio dwellers.

 

Over several generations in urban and rural areas pockets of similarly strapped Americans have been trapped converted as part of America’s institutionalized poverty sector and to preserve peace and stifle the nation’s conscience welfare benefit doles are the means.

 

Blaming our poor for their state has served to keep from addressing the issue, saying they can replace one poverty level wage job for another to avoid wage reform or immigration reform is unconscionable.

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Patrick Osio, Jr. is Editor of HispanicVista.com (www.hispanicvista.com). Contact at PosioJr@hispanic.sdcoxmail.com

(The opinions expressed by Patrick Osio, Jr. are solely his and do not necessarily reflect those of HispanicVista.com, editorial board of advisors or it’s contributing writers.)

Patrick Osio, Jr. has written a short but intensive manual on the Mexican perspective on numerous issues between our two countries. The manual is an in depth primer on the culture and protocol for better understanding Mexicans that in turn allows establishing personal and business relationships, and how to avoid the most common faux pas that can ruin relationships and business deals.

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