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This story really makes you think. I live in area with a high illegal immigrant population. Most work as farm laborers or at the Conagra plant. And while I gripe because of the abuse to our welfare system, I wonder if raids like this wouldn't do worse damage to the entire county's economy.







STILLMORE, Ga. - Trailer parks lie abandoned. The poultry plant is scrambling to replace more than half its workforce. Business has dried up at stores where Mexican laborers once lined up to buy food, beer and cigarettes just weeks ago.

This Georgia community of about 1,000 people has become little more than a ghost town since Sept. 1, when federal agents began rounding up illegal immigrants.

The sweep has had the unintended effect of underscoring just how vital the illegal immigrants were to the local economy.

More than 120 illegal immigrants have been loaded onto buses bound for immigration courts in Atlanta, 189 miles away. Hundreds more fled Emanuel County. Residents say many scattered into the woods, camping out for days. They worry some are still hiding without food.

At least one child, born a U.S. citizen, was left behind by his Mexican parents: 2-year-old Victor Perez-Lopez. The toddler's mother, Rosa Lopez, left her son with Julie Rodas when the raids began and fled the state. The boy's father was deported to Mexico.

rest of article http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060915/ap_ ... NlYwNtdHM-

I work at a poultry plant in Georgia(not Stillmore) in the Human Resource Department.

I do feel for the innocent children who have to suffer for their parents failure to do the right thing. All the parents had to do was get their paperwork in order. They are living in this country to work and raise their families and enjoy the benefits of living here. But with those benefits, come responsibilities. They are obligated to get proper identification, just as we American citizens are obligated.

In my opinion, the companies that hire illegal immigrants are also fault for letting this go on so long. "Anything to get the product on the shelf" kind of mentality.

In Amercia, nobody should have to live in fear. If these folks would work as hard to get their ID's in order as they do on their jobs, they could live here as they should, living that " American dream" with pride.

Since I am on my soapbox, I will add one more thing. Our company has a high turn-over rate. Most of these folks are young and able bodied and non- Hispanic. I don't know what happened to the work ethic of our American young people. I guess they have somebody else to pay their bills for them. They are part of the problem as well.

NOBODY forces these people to come illegally into this country. NOBODY forces them to become criminals. If business paid a living wage, US citizens would take these jobs and none of this would be an issue.

Illegal is illegal. End of.

They know what they are doing, and if they get caught out, well tough luck.

We have a lot of problems in the UK with "illegals." Maybe it's the lowlife scum employing them that need to be investigated.

Illegals in the UK, who say they are "refugees," actually come through 7 "safe" countries to get to the UK. Do you think that maybe our easy DSS benefits system, and free healthcare may have something to do with it? Other countries (a lot bigger than the UK) don't give them anything other than sanctuary from their "oppression." It's just the UK mug taxpayers that are left to pick up the tab for a government that is too weak. :-5

Australia has the right idea. :sneaky:

AND, (don't know about the UK) but here, the POLITICALLY CORRECT just get creamy when discussing the "plight" of "immigrants" and their "rights" to be here.

As in....(add your cliche of choice) "we're a nation of immigrants," "there's no such thing as "ownership of the land," "California once BELONGED to Mexico," "we need them to pick berries/corn"....blah, blah, blah.

I'm weary of having my country held in ransom by people who USED to be temporary agricultural workers and have now moved in to stay and are demanding free benefits/education/social services for which they've never paid. I'm weary that they consider themselves too good to get in line to come legally and continually "jump" the border.

I'm weary of seeing not just one but THIRTEEN emergency rooms close because they went bankrupt after too many people without healthcare plans used them as free clinics, going in to see a doctor with colds, flu and measles. I'm weary that they feel "entitled" to come here and move in.

I'm weary that our public schools, overwhelmed at the numbers of children who come and go (depending on their parents and the immigration authority) constantly waste money on bringing non-English speakers into the mainstream, only to lose the children before they spend a year in one class.

I'm infuriated that Hispanic politicians pander to these people...and actually find ways to help them break the law and stay. (You should know that Rep. Loretta Sanchez was recently reprimanded for helping illegals register)

It happens.

Lulu2 wrote: NOBODY forces these people to come illegally into this country. NOBODY forces them to become criminals. If business paid a living wage, US citizens would take these jobs and none of this would be an issue.


Yep. Somehow that's never mentioned. All I hear is how they take jobs Americans won't. Well, *I've* scrubbed toilets and cleaned up after people and served them and I'm no more special than the next American so I don't buy that. Would I take scrubbing johns over a secretarial job? Heck no. But that's why there's this thing called advancing yourself in the work force.



I'm getting steamed now. We need a smiley of a little steamed clam. :wah:

Yes...and it's not just the Hispanic gangs here. Asians and Armenians have brought their turf wars to our doors.

The thing is, Not a lot of people these days are willing to do the "menial" jobs for the minimum wage in this country. Why? because a lot of the time, therye better of claiming social benifits.

These imigrants are willing to do these jobs for a the minimum wage, and most of them work bloody hard at it. To them, I have nothing but respect.

When you here and see poeple in the local bar saying things such as "I wouldn't clean toilets for £5.35 an hour" and they are the ones on the social, it makes my blood boil.

The problem these days is that people don't want to work hard these days (thats not meant as a slur against those who can't get work, even though they have tried hard to do so, or those who are unable to work), they want the easy life, sit back and watch all the other people working hard for a living and paying for the social system that keeps them going. These are also often the sort of people who complain about housing, nothing to do or even claim that they need to commit crime in order to live.

Obviously, Illegal immigrants should be dealt with robustly, and returned from whence they came. Obviously, this all costs money. A vicious little circle indeed. I think that we, as a nation, need to return to the old days of a hardworking workforce, willing to work for a living. Perhaps the government also needs to do more to encourage people back to work.

I work bloody hard to keep my family going and I have often wondered if I would be better on the social. What stops me? My morals.

I dunno. The whole system seems to be in a real mess:-5:-5

woppy71 wrote: Perhaps the government also needs to do more to encourage people back to work.






Actually Woppy, in America, the government ought to be the first ones to be forced to work hard for their money. Pay raises galore, perks galore, 14 days a year of work in the senate (or something ridiculous like that) plus we furnish and protect the president and his immediate family for life at our own taxpayer expense. Every first lady we get has to make some decorator remodeling changes to the White House and we have to pay for it. Including new personalized china every new presidency. I eat off paper plates, why can't they?:mad:

People in this country often use the same line..."Well, they do the jobs we dont WANT to do...." but, if workers were paid a reasonable wage, people WOULD do those jobs.

Illegals started coming here to pick certain crops and would then return home when that was finished. Now, they're not just picking crops any more. (In fact, they have UNIONS to protect their "rights" to work.) In fact, illegals are in much of the work force, doing jobs in all parts of the spectrum.

Business owners argue that they're good for the economy because they work for less and, without them, costs would rise. Well, considering the negative impact on culture and social services, education and all-around neighborhoods, I'm willing to pay more for my goods.

We can't have it both ways and we're going to lose more than we get. JMHO. I believe people in Europe are seeing this, too.

RedGlitter wrote: Actually Woppy, in America, the government ought to be the first ones to be forced to work hard for their money. Pay raises galore, perks galore, 14 days a year of work in the senate (or something ridiculous like that) plus we furnish and protect the president and his immediate family for life at our own taxpayer expense. Every first lady we get has to make some decorator remodeling changes to the White House and we have to pay for it. Including new personalized china every new presidency. I eat off paper plates, why can't they?:mad:


Hiya, redglitter, what I meant by the government comment was that they could perhaps make it more worthwhile for people on social benifits to return to work, currently, if you work over a certain amount of hours, you lose your benifits. Catch 22.

I do agree with you with respect to what the goverment departments spend on them selves. For example, our mayor drives around in a luxury Jaguar, probably worth over £80,000 plus the cost of running it. I wonder how many policemans wages that could pay for in a year, or how many hospital places that could provide, etc, etc. :-5

woppy71 wrote: Hiya, redglitter, what I meant by the government comment was that they could perhaps make it more worthwhile for people on social benifits to return to work, currently, if you work over a certain amount of hours, you lose your benifits. Catch 22.



I do agree with you with respect to what the goverment departments spend on them selves. For example, our mayor drives around in a luxury Jaguar, probably worth over £80,000 plus the cost of running it. I wonder how many policemans wages that could pay for in a year, or how many hospital places that could provide, etc, etc. :-5


Hi Woppy



I tend to get off on my tangents sometimes. You are right about the catch 22. It's that way over here. I agree about the mayor's car- that's obnoxious. When people are going hungry, or can't make ends meet enough to get medication, the governments ought not to be treating themselves like royalty.

I'd LOVE to see Laura Bush at the 99Cent Store....struggling to find bargains! :wah:

Lulu2 wrote: NOBODY forces these people to come illegally into this country. NOBODY forces them to become criminals. If business paid a living wage, US citizens would take these jobs and none of this would be an issue.I agree with all but the last. Nobody knows how much garbage collectors make. It's alot. Advertising the wage wouldn't increase applications much. Nope, scrub the criminal element away, both illegal aliens and those that knowingly hire them, and the wage issue will take care of itself.



"Minimum wage" is a political diversion tool.

Lulu2 wrote: AND, (don't know about the UK) but here, the POLITICALLY CORRECT just get creamy when discussing the "plight" of "immigrants" and their "rights" to be here.

As in....(add your cliche of choice) "we're a nation of immigrants," "there's no such thing as "ownership of the land," "California once BELONGED to Mexico," "we need them to pick berries/corn"....blah, blah, blah.



I'm weary of having my country held in ransom by people who USED to be temporary agricultural workers and have now moved in to stay and are demanding free benefits/education/social services for which they've never paid. I'm weary that they consider themselves too good to get in line to come legally and continually "jump" the border.



I'm weary of seeing not just one but THIRTEEN emergency rooms close because they went bankrupt after too many people without healthcare plans used them as free clinics, going in to see a doctor with colds, flu and measles. I'm weary that they feel "entitled" to come here and move in.



I'm weary that our public schools, overwhelmed at the numbers of children who come and go (depending on their parents and the immigration authority) constantly waste money on bringing non-English speakers into the mainstream, only to lose the children before they spend a year in one class.



I'm infuriated that Hispanic politicians pander to these people...and actually find ways to help them break the law and stay. (You should know that Rep. Loretta Sanchez was recently reprimanded for helping illegals register)



It happens.
:yh_clap STANDING O!! :yh_clap

*loud whistles*

(Those're CHEERING whistles, right?)

This is such a volatile subject with many, including myself. All I'm willing to & or are prepared to say is, that I agree with so many of our member's feelings posted here. :guitarist

Lulu2 wrote: (Those're CHEERING whistles, right?)Oh You betcha!