Immigration

I am so glad the Immigration bill did not pass. It was stupid. Most people fail to understand the plight of the immigrant, especially those coming in from Mexico. The following are my views, they cannot be changed, these views have remained the same for many years now. My views and opinions have come from living in California, where 90% of the nation's food is grown. I have lived next to labor camps and worked in agriculture for many years.

Here in California we grow the majority of the nation's fruits and vegetables. It is often said that we feed the nation. Our fruits, vegetables and grains not only feed this nation, but feed the world. Our farmers are dependent upon the immigrant to work on their farms. Without the immigrant, usually illegal immigrant, the crops would go unpicked in the fields. You don't see white men, or welfare recepients standing in the sun picking lettuce or tomatoes. Without the Mexican immigrants, these crops would literally rot in the fields. Think about it. Would you bend over picking tomatoes in the hot sun for 12 hours a day, 6 days a week, for minimum wage?? Hardly. But yet, the Mexican workers clammor to this nation, often paying the Coyotes thousands of dollars to be given the opportunity to do this work. They rarely complain about the conditions, taxes are taken out of their checks, which they never get to see benefit from, and they mainly keep to themselves.

The vast majority of these young men that come over for harvest are in this country illegally. They pay Coyotes for false documents to gain entry to our nation and then they frequent the flea markets to get fake work cards. The farmers, for the most part, know that these men are illegal, but yet they hire them, because there aren't any workers here legally offering to do the jobs! These men are usually housed in labor camps, provided by the farmers for a minimal fee. If they are lucky, the farmers are good humans and provide decent camps, others don't care. The labor camp I lived close to was decent. The men had running water, both hot and cold, washers and driers, bunks and even a cook. The cost was minimal to them, and although the conditions weren't those of the local Hilton, they were decent. The men policed their own. Very rarely did we have to call the sheriffs for a fight or noise or anything else. These were hard working men, looking for a better life for themselves and their families. Many of the men sent all of their money to their families in Mexico, except for what it cost to live in the camp. They had hopes of one day becoming legal, and bringing their families over, but few knew how to go about that. They were, for the most part, decent men, who worked hard. Some I am proud to call my friends to this day.

Other farmers provide camps that aren't fit for dogs to stay at, much less working men. Many of these camps don't have running water, or heat, or even toilet facilites. Yet, they have waiting lists to occupy their camps and work in their fields. Ever wonder why??

I am friends with several Mexican Americans. Most initially came here illegally and have since gained their legal status. We've had many talks about why they come, why they do this hard, long work and why they don't come here legally to begin with.

Mexicans, especially in rural Mexico, believe this nation is paved with gold. They've seen others get checks from men working here, and those checks are HUGE in pesos. The pictures they receive are of beautiful houses and parks, stores filled with every kind of commodity. It truly looks and sounds to them as if this nation IS paved in gold. Especially when many of these people don't have inside bathrooms, or running water, or enough food to feed their children. I was recently talking to a friend, who's mother still lives in Mexico. Although he is here legally now, he sends his mother money to help her. Her husband has died, she's elderly, she works 2 jobs and takes care of her mother. She makes about 4000 pesos a month, or $400. My friend will try to send her a couple of hundred dollars a month -- half of her income from both her jobs! She hears about her son's life, when he goes to visit. He owns a house, it's modest, but it's his, he has 2 nice cars, not brand new, but nice, he has a boat, again not new, but seaworthy to take his girls to the lake for the afternoon. His mother thinks he is rich. Let me assure you, my friend is NOT rich, he lives a modest life and both he and his wife work hard for every dollar they earn. But the mother believes he is RICH. And he is, in comparison to her meager life.

That's why they come here. They aren't afraid of hard work, because others who came before them worked hard and now are RICH in comparison to the lives they lived in Mexico. Why do they work those jobs that no one else will have?? They aren't afraid of hard work. They believe that if they work hard, no matter what the job, it will pay off and they too will be able to own cars and homes and have nice clothes and shop at Target.

Why don't they come here legally?? They can't. It takes years to go through the red tape of our nation. A friend of mine immigrated from Canada, legally. She had a job promised her here in the states, she was a nurse. It took her over 9, yes NINE years to be able to come here with her family legally! Thankfully her job worked with the government and held her promise of job, or it would have taken years longer!! Now imagine someone who really isn't a professional, who has skills, but not a nursing license, who doesn't have the thousands of dollars or the time to waste, because his house needs a roof (8000 pesos) and his children need food and shoes for winter. He cannot wait nine years to make a decent wage. He doesn't mind the hard work, long hours or indecent living conditions. All he cares about is sending his family money for the shoes, for the food and to replace the roof before it rains.

We don't need to make it harder for people to immigrate to this country. We need to make the time shorter. Perhaps not easier, but shorter. It shouldn't take years. We must have some program in place for temporary workers to come in to work in our fields, or WE will starve. Many of these men go home to Mexico every winter, after the crops are picked. Why don't we have a workable program to allow temporary status to these seasonal workers?? A program that doesn't take years to get into or cost thousands of dollars?? Because face it, if it was going to cost you $2500 to come here legally, but yet take 3 years to get that legal paperwork, where are you children?? Are they going hungry?? Yet as a Mexican, you can take that same $2500 and pay a coyote and in a week be earning money to send home. Don't ask me where they get that $2500 initially, because I've yet to figure it out -- but I think that their friends and family here in the states send it to them and tell them to come. It makes sense. They can make that amount in a couple of months here, in Mexico, it may take a whole year or more.

Think about it. Illegal Mexicans pay into social security and Medicare, they have taxes taken out of their checks, both local and federal. They cannot get Social Security and they cannot file for a tax refund. They are GIVING us that money, they will never see it again, nor the benefits from it. They are contributing to society and paying their own way! And yet, many want to send them home, back to Mexico. To those of you that feel this way I say this:

If you want the illegal Mexican workers to go home and stay in Mexico, they you, yes YOU, get off your ass, get your ass down to your local farm and YOU pick the crops. You have plenty of time, even with your regular job. Your regular job is only 8 hours a day -- gee, that leaves another 4 or 5 hours of day light, plus you can work weekends. YOU picks the crops, to put food on the tables of this nation. Don't complain when you are doing it, I don't wanna hear how your back hurts, or you are sun burned or tired. Oh and don't forget that money the farmer will take out of your check for income tax, social security, medicare and more?? You don't get that back. You can't include that on your yearly tax return and your social security check will not include those wages. Before you complain, walk a mile folks -- walk a mile.

Then and only then, will you be able to understand the real situation and the whole story.