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twitterThe new faces of day labor
U.S. citizens are joining immigrants in store parking lots
Steve Marcus
Ken Buchanan, left, waits for work at a Home Depot Thursday morning. Most weeks he’s there six days. The most he’s made in a week: $140.
Monday, Nov. 2, 2009 | 2 a.m.
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Beyond the Sun
It sounds like a George Lopez joke.
“Times are so bad that I saw an Anglo day laborer standing outside Home Depot the other day.”
Except it’s true.
In the latest sign of the Las Vegas Valley’s economic free fall, U.S. citizens are starting to show up in the early mornings outside home improvement stores and plant nurseries across the Las Vegas Valley, jostling with illegal immigrants for a shot at a few hours of work.
Experts say the slow-starting but seemingly inexorable trend is occurring nationwide.
“It’s the equivalent of selling apples in the Great Depression,” said Harley Shaiken, chairman of the Center for Latin American studies at the University of California, Berkeley.
But it is not only a sign of the times, they add. If the numbers of citizens among the day laborers in cities across the country continue to grow, it’s likely to increase the ire of followers of TV host Lou Dobbs and others who will see illegal immigrants as stealing food off the tables of the nation’s native-born or naturalized poor.
Or, it may flip certain canards upside down in the immigration debate, easing tensions in some communities.
In the Las Vegas Valley, where the most recent unemployment rate was 13.9 percent, one face of this phenomenon is Ken Buchanan. The 50-year-old describes himself as a “food and beverage” guy, most recently working for four years at Renata’s Sunset Lanes casino and, before that, 30 years in a string of restaurants, hotels and casinos here and in his birthplace, Chicago.
But in 2006 Renata’s closed for remodeling. When the casino reopened as Wildfire, the management did not rehire Buchanan, he said.
In the months that followed, Buchanan discovered the difficulty of seeking work in his fifth decade, eventually winding up at Green Valley Car Wash, where he stayed for about two years, he said.
The banks foreclosed on the house he was renting. In the attempt to grab his things two steps ahead of the constable, he wound up missing work. He lost his job. He became homeless.
The Home Depot
A Hispanic man Buchanan met in Renata’s sports book told him he had picked up work standing outside the Home Depot on Pecos Road at Patrick Lane. One July day, Buchanan gave it a try. At first, he got nothing but sunburn. But then he started to get work. Now he’s at the Home Depot six days most weeks.
Pablo Alvarado, executive director of the Los Angeles-based National Day Laborer Organizing Network, said he has been seeing the same thing elsewhere. “It’s happening, though still not in massive numbers,” Alvarado said. In the past six months or so, he has heard of “americanos” on the street corners and parking lots of Silver Spring, Md., Long Island, N.Y., and Southern California locations.
“It’s just beginning,” he said. “But I think it’s only going to increase.”
A recent morning’s swing through the valley produced reports of the same phenomenon. At Star Nursery on Cheyenne Road west of Tenaya Way, Nicolas stood shivering under a hooded sweatshirt, hoping a car or pickup would stop. The Mexican immigrant said he had seen a couple of “white guys” showing up recently, though not on the blustery cold days last week.
At Home Depot on Decatur Boulevard north of Tropicana Avenue, Jose said the same thing, adding that “it’s never more than three or four, but they’re coming out.”
Farther south, in front of Moon Valley Nursery on Eastern Avenue, Israel said a couple of “americanos” — white and black, he added — have come out for work in recent months. “But they tend to stay only a few days.”
As a salesman at Moon Valley, Mike Fugitt’s job includes making sure the laborers don’t come into the nursery’s parking lot, because their presence draws complaints from some customers. In the past three months or so, he said, more of those laborers have been telling him, “But I’m an American.” That includes some Hispanics, he added. “But I treat them all the same; they can’t be trespassing,” he said.
Workers at all the sites said the presence of the americanos hasn’t made work scarcer or produced any conflict. Some suggested that people hiring day laborers prefer Hispanics anyway, because of their reputation as hard workers.
Shaiken said shaking up the mix at day labor sites may eventually produce conflict in the greater society. “It essentially shreds the argument that Americans don’t want certain jobs,” he said.
In the current economy, he added, “we’re almost sure to see die-hard opponents of illegal immigrants seize on the fact that we have legal workers in day labor markets,” heating an already-inflamed debate.
In the longer term, it may also lead to a more rigorous analysis of future labor markets, including revised estimates of how many immigrants would be needed under a guest worker program, as proposed in recent congressional bills.
At the same time, Shaiken said, the issue won’t become central to the debate before Congress over what is known as comprehensive reform, including a pathway for legalizing millions of workers. “The point is, do we really want a labor market with day labor work as a career path? It’s more a commentary on the economy right now,” he said.
Although Alvarado allowed that the change in day labor sites was an undeniable sign of the withering economy, he also sees a “beautiful irony” in U.S. citizens seeking work as day laborers.
That’s because his organization has defended the free-speech rights of day laborers in at least 10 court cases over more than a decade. Up to now, courts have ruled in favor of the laborers.
“We always knew (these cases) would be useful not only for immigrants, but also for U.S. citizens,” Alvarado said. “We knew there would be a time when the economy would reach this point, and they also would be looking for work this way.”
Buchanan likes to wear a Cubs or White Sox cap as a sign of his Chicago heritage when he stands with one or two Hispanic laborers about 20 yards south of a larger crowd. He said he has gone through an education of sorts in the past four months. He has always worked around Hispanics in restaurants, hotels and casinos, but now he understands the issue of immigration from up close.
His sojourn got off to a rocky start. On one of his first days on the street outside Home Depot, another laborer told him he should move along because too many people were at the spot.
“I told him, ‘I’m an American citizen and you’re trying to push me off American soil?’ ” The man walked away, and Buchanan says he hasn’t had another problem with his competitors since.
Instead, Buchanan has found himself defending the rights of his fellow laborers on more than one occasion. One day, a man tried to hire a bunch of them for $5 an hour. Again, Buchanan pulled out the “citizen card.” But this time, he was telling the other person that he, a U.S. citizen, knew about minimum wage laws, and was going to make sure those laws were followed. “I said, ‘You want me to write down your license plate number?’ ” Buchanan recalled. The guy drove away.
Now, he said, “I get along with everybody here.”
He stands in a smaller group because he thinks that helps to get work. He reads the daily tea leaves of the trade, like the end of the month being a good time for moving jobs, because many people are moving in or out. His best week so far: $140. His longest stint without work: the first two weeks, “until I learned to be more aggressive.”
Antonio Bernabe, day labor organizer for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, said the appearance of more and more U.S. citizens seeking day labor work on corners and in parking lots poses new challenges for organizations such as his. In recent months, he said, he has found himself explaining to a whole new group the legal rights of workers, as well as approaching local authorities to discuss the entry of new people into what he called “the world of day labor.” That group includes blacks and Asians, he said.
Another difference is that now he’s giving those explanations to laborers in English.
Bernabe said organizers came across one case where a local sheriff had been sending officers to answer complaints about day laborers and then found one day that the sheriff’s neighbor, a citizen, was among them. Police in that area have been less likely to harass laborers since then, he said. These events will occur more, changing people’s attitudes in the process, he said.
“For a long time, people have looked at day laborers and said, ‘The problem is the immigrants.’ Now the economy is changing. Now people may see it’s a problem of the labor market, of the rights of workers,” Bernabe said.
Buchanan, meanwhile, looks forward to a future that includes a steady job and an apartment. “I’m trying to dig my way out of this,” he said. When he does, however, he sees himself as a changed man.
“Before, I was part of the majority. Now I’m part of the minority ... I’m not going to forget this. I’m not going to forget any of this.”
Discussion: 66 comments so far…
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CNN's Lou Dobbs is claiming his wife was shot at while outside their home. The reported link is Lou Dobbs supporting Arizona's Maricopa Sheriff jailing "alleged" illegal aliens.
We are not making a political comment. We wish the Sun would report the rest of the story. The face of day labor is changing because State of Nevada, Clark County, Las Vegas spent our tax dollars without any oversight.
Now we citizens are baring the fnancial burdens as a result of the government's negligence and fraud.
It is a sad day in the U.S.A. We are fast becoming a third world nation.
The Government is now asking productive workers to loan them 10% of their wages until April 15 2009.
We have become a nation of "Have's & Have Not's"
One administration has destroyed most everything the "Middle Class" has developed since the ending of world war II.
God Bless the future generations.
"One day, a man tried to hire a bunch of them for $5 an hour. Again, Buchanan pulled out the "citizen card." But this time, he was telling the other person that he, a U.S. citizen, knew about minimum wage laws, and was going to make sure those laws were followed. "I said, 'You want me to write down your license plate number?' " Buchanan recalled. The guy drove away.
----------------------------------
What Buchanan fails to see is that he is an unlicensed laborer, leaving the the person hiring him at risk for any injury that Buchanan sustains on the job, it also leaves the person hiring him with no warranty for his work etc.
If the person hiring him wanted to pay standard wages, hew ould go get a licensed contractor.
What Buchanan is doing is most likely working illegally even though he is a US citizen if he is doing any work that requires a license, which they usually do (landscaping, etc). So if the hiring homeowner is taking on so much risk, why should he pay minimum wage?
In addition, Buchanan can feel free to report the guys plate...then the first question will be....do you have a license to do the work you are doing Mr. Buchanan?
Clark County's management has forced steadily employed citizens into day labor. Lack of oversight by Clark County has resulted in waste of our tax dollars.
For example, Clark County funds Clark County Courts. The Clark County Courts' workload is up over last year and forecasted to be up 30% next year, according to Chief Judge Thomas Arthur Ritchie, Junior. This statistic is in a vacuum and illogical with correlating statistics:
- Crime is not up 30%
- Clark County population is not up 30%
- Children's population is decreasing
- False warrants are escalating due to a lapse in real time court recording.
Logically and statistically, criminal and civil court actions increase with crime and population. Why is this not true in Clark County?
We have overwhelming evidence, the policies and procedures of Clark County are resulting in crimes to persons. Contact us if you've been wronged by Clark County at 702-787-0002 YOUR RIGHT!
Why you make $5 an hour and why I wont hire a day laborer, US Citizen or not.
_______________________________________
If a day laborer is injured on your property, he could sue you or seek to make a claim on your homeowners insurance policy.
Because some insurance companies have riders that prohibit payments to illegal workers, it might be a good idea to see what you are liable for before you head down this hiring route.
Whether a homeowners policy would cover an injured day worker depends on state workers-compensation law and whether any employer is required to have coverage.
Citizenship is not a factor.
If state laws do not apply, then a homeowner's liability and medical coverage may cover an accident.
The work won't be guaranteed. You cannot stop payment on the check because you have most likely paid in cash.
And you might not be able to locate the worker to complain or get a shoddy job fixed.
"Clark County's management has forced steadily employed citizens into day labor. Lack of oversight by Clark County has resulted in waste of our tax dollars."
-----------------------------
dwma : What does day labor and the court system have to do with each other in the way you have written?? If you want to spout off about a unrelated topic find another venue rather than using it as a personal segway.
PS: Population increase does not correlate to crime, just ask Detroit whose population keeps dropping and crime keeps increasing.
WASP eating their young. WOW! Blacks like me have been taking it in the shorts since 1619. no tears here. Additionally, we've always been saddled with a perennial double-digit unemployment rate, so the racist and sick "all-volunteer" military scam would work.
Poor guy, I've seen it over and over, lose everything and end up homeless, but that only the beginning. Now that he's homeless EVERY homeless agency will label him a COMPLETE STREET GUTTER ALCOHOLIC/ADDICT & MENTALLY ILL! They will access his electronic medical records, enter that WRONG DIAGNOSIS in his records, and now he's MENTALLY ILL & ADDICTED FOR LIFE! Good luck getting a job or housing with those issues! He's SCREWED!
REjco...where do you think you get your info ? Get a new source....
Babyboomer, From the homeless veterans! I've been helping homeless veterans get off the streets for years; not one has been a crazed mentally insane drug addict or a street gutter alcoholic, NOT ONE!
The POVERTY PIMPS label every homeless person walking through their doors MENTALY ILL & ADDICTED because THAT'S WHERE THE MONEY IS- HUGE AMOUNTS OF TAXPAYER CASH INTO THEIR BANK ACCOUNTS (read the POVERTY PIMP'S programs: they are FOR LIFE!); there's no money in getting people housed & working ZIP!
There are reports all over the nation where the ILLEGALS are killing the whites over "GETTING THEIR JOBS" at these day labor sites.
It's funny how that new OSHA Office in town won't be making sure the Day Labor jobs are safe & fair for the workers!
There should be plenty of work in the nurseries for those who have formal education and there should be plenty of work in health care for floor help. Health care in nursing facilities given by many is not always up to state standards which can be minimal regardless of the nationality.
mandingo, since you post the exact same thing every time, are Mitt Romney and Neil Bush out in front of Home Depot? Simple question for the drivel.
The problem is the lawbreaking people who are foolishly hiring these day laborers. They are breaking the law by not paying a fair wage and not withholding and paying the FICA, FUTA and SUTA taxes for labor. They are actually contributing to this recession by refusing to hire these people legally.
There are many day labor companies available here in this valley that collect and pay these taxes legally. We should be promoting these businesses instead of allowing this dangerous and unfair competition for work to continue.
We know where the problem exists. Law enforcement needs to get on the job and take care of these "Johns" that are picking up on these laborer "prostitutes". They need to help protect the homeowners from themselves. Just look at the liability.
But, law enforcement has consistently refused to do anything about this illegal activity citing the lack of resources and more important crimes that require their attention.
In the end it's all about money, getting something for nothing! that's what fuels the day labor sector. It's what fuels the attraction of the illegals to come into the States, and it's what prevents the gubment from doing anything about it..
Those thinking about long-term recovery, know the enviroment will be a big winner in the conversion to biofuels & biopower -- saw a cool site; Balkingpoints ; incredible satellite view of earth
Normally the only White people standing on the street are begging. I guess this is a step up?
And why don't the licensed industries have their own investigators and enforcement? The legal, security, and towing industries have their own enforcement maybe these other trades should to.
"And why don't the licensed industries have their own investigators and enforcement? The legal, security, and towing industries have their own enforcement maybe these other trades should to."
__________________________________________________________
They do, it is called the police department of which they pay taxes to support. Along with the NLRB which is also supported by taxes paid.
If these industries started "strong arming" the day laborers to join their group, the Business and ACLU outcry would be deafening.
Make no mistake. The business people skirting the tax system are the biggest users of day labor, not homeowners.
Follow this link (http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/nov... read up on what a great job the "legal community" is doing on investigations and enforcement.
One must consider before inviting an unemployed hungry person to their home for work that they could return to rob you or file a lawsuit against you if they happen to injury themselves upon your property.
Thanks for offering the option but I'll play it safe -- PASS.
: )
Harley: I'm with you on this one. I always hire licensed people, (and I check that the license is valid and ask for proof that they have insurance), and I make sure the person I interview actually is the one who will be doing the work. I get estimates and receipts and don't pay until the job is done. And I pay by check; if they don't want to take a check, something is wrong. Never had a problem doing business this way. Play it safe.
i wonder how many of the parking lot people voted for obama. he's the reason for all this.
the moronic liberal hatred of "rich" people is causing them to not hire and not create new jobs.
if you're out of work, go to a real estate office and offer to put flyers or business cards on the doors of homes.
trust me, you'll get $10 an hour or so to do that.
Synopsis: Hard times force a London shopkeeper (Lewis Stone) to let go an employee (Lionel Barrymore) of 40 years.
This recommended viewing is entitled "Looking Forward" 1933.
Note how economics trickles down.
Good movie, Enjoy
: )
Well, thanks to this comment section, we at least know now that it was the Clark County government, and particularly the workload at the Clark County courts, which caused the worst nationwide recession since the 1930's.
And American's wonder why their wages are so low and so many American families are hurting. Illegals will work for pennies on the dollar and will continue to desecrate America. American's who are out of work and want to work then do what it takes and let it be known to the illegal's standing around these areas; leave, working here is only for American's. You're not wanted here anymore now go home, you've destroyed communities, you're stealing our work, you've broken the law and you're here illegally now LEAVE.
You have two families: "Joe Legal" and "Jose Illegal". Both families have
two parents, two children, and live in California .
Joe Legal works in construction, has a Social Security Number and makes
$25.00 per hour with taxes deducted.
Jose Illegal also works in construction, has NO Social Security Number,
and gets paid $15.00 cash "under the table".
Ready? Now pay attention...
Joe Legal: $25.00 per hour x 40 hours = $1000.00 per week, or $52,000.00
per year. Now take 30% away for state and federal tax; Joe Legal now has
$31,231.00.
Jose Illegal: $15.00 per hour x 40 hours = $600.00 per week, or
$31,200.00 per year. Jose Illegal pays no taxes. Jose Illegal now has
$31,200.00.
Joe Legal pays medical and dental insurance with limited coverage for
his family at $600.00 per month, or $7,200.00 per year. Joe Legal now
has $24,031.00.
Jose Illegal has full medical and dental coverage through the state and
local clinics at a cost of $000 per year. Jose Illegal still has
$31,200.00.
Joe Legal makes too much money and is not eligible for food stamps or
welfare. Joe Legal pays $500.00 per month for food, or $6,000.00 per
year. Joe Legal now has $18,031.00.
Jose Illegal has no documented income and is eligible for food stamps
and welfare. Jose Illegal still has $31,200.00.
Joe Legal pays rent of $1,200.00 per month, or $14,400.00 per year. Joe
Legal now has $9,631.00.
Jose Illegal receives a $500.00 per month federal rent subsidy. Jose
Illegal pays $500.00 per month, or $6,000.00 per year. Jose Illegal
still has $ 31,200.00.
Joe Legal pays $200.00 per month, or $2,400.00 for insurance. Joe Legal
now has $7,231.00.
Jose Illegal says, "We don't need no stinkin' insurance!" and still has
$31,200.00.
Joe Legal has to make his $7,231.00 stretch to pay utilities, gasoline,
etc.
Jose Illegal has to make his $31,200.00 stretch to pay utilities,
gasoline, and what he sends out of the country every month.
Joe Legal now works overtime on Saturdays or gets a part time job after
work.
Jose Illegal has nights and weekends off to enjoy with his family.
Joe Legal's and Jose Illegal's children both attend the same school. Joe
Legal pays for his children's lunches while Jose Illegal's children get
a government sponsored lunch. Jose Illegal's children have an after
school ESL program. Joe Legal's children go home.
Joe Legal and Jose Illegal both enjoy the same police and fire services,
but Joe paid for them and Jose did not pay.
Do you get it, now?
If you vote for or support any politician that supports illegal aliens...
You are part of the problem!
It's way PAST time to take a stand for America and Americans or do you want to just
sit back and see what someone else does while you hope and wait for something to happen!
"What Buchanan fails to see is that he is an unlicensed laborer..."
VegasResident, all -- that right there speaks volumes about how far we've fallen. The day a regular guy has to be a corporation just to sell his sweat for his daily bread is the day we stopped being the nation so many before us died for. Perhaps it's already happened.
Welcome to being ruled.
its only the tip of the iceberg, boys. we'll all be in that line someday. the future is now!
We will be at the back of the line, behind all of the illegal immigrants and get what ever, if anything is left. VOTE OUT THE INCUMBENTS!!!!!!
Do you think the employers/day labors pay income tax on the work that gets done? Will we see a new union movement when the day labors get citizenship?
Its2hot: Very good posting here, informative and educational. Don't forget also that the Illegal alien probably does not have a valid auto registration, driver's license nor any insurance , and when he gets into an accident with someone who does, more than often the on the scene highway patrol often lets the Illegal alien go because it's too much trouble and paperwork to process him. After all the licensed, insured victim's insurance (with the uninsured motorist clause) pays for everything, and we all pay for it in our inflated premiums. Of course if he kills someone for driving under the influence, he just might get deported...
The Pew Hispanic Center did a study a few years ago (before the start of this recession) that found that almost 75% of construction jobs were STILL DONE BY AMERICANS and that about 25% of day laborers were U.S. citizens or legal residents. It's always been true that illegal aliens are displacing Americans from jobs and NOT doing jobs that Americans won't do--the press just hasn't been willing to admit it. It prefers to run sob stories about the poor illegal aliens who lost their jobs, never mind that they pushed Americans out of those jobs first.
What right do Americanos have to stand on the corner? Mexivada reserves that for undocumented only. They need to be ahead of the pack for free healthcare for their families.
Sitting here in my comfy Swedish home surrounded by the social securities we have, paid for by our taxes, I truly feel sorry for you who are out of work.
Its all very well, when everything is going fine, good wages, low taxes, healthy. Then when things all go pear shaped, its not fun anymore, everybody is expecting the government to help everybody, but its not like that. If you dont pay into the system, you cant expect to be protected by the system.
The artificial housing boom inflated employment to levels Nevadans may not see again for decades. Federal Government officials allege the national economy shows signs of stabilizing. But would it be more accurate to say the Economy will stabilize after contracting, and the New Contracted Economy will need millions less workers, for years? Some business owners believe a contracted-economy will cause higher unemployment for at least a decade: that government unemployment numbers will increasingly not reflect job loss when determining if the U.S. or a region is in a recession. Obviously U.S. Government cannot indefinitely print and borrow money from China to create an artificial U.S. economy, otherwise money would become worthless. America would enter stagflation where the economy might collapse with inflation running out of control, injuring Citizens on fixed incomes and others. Some European Countries that have high unemployment also have a safety net for the unemployed; the U.S. does not. It appears the U.S. Government's only antidote to stabilize the dollar and economy is long-term unemployment, without sustainable benefits provided to persons losing jobs.
We MUST build the wall. I won't throw out those who may have come here illegally, but have been here a while, started families -for some children, America is the only country they know. BUT NO MORE! Enough if enough! If you're in now, you're lucky. Now get with the program. Learn English. Raise and educate your kids as Americans. Start contributing -not subtracting- from the social infrastructure. If you want to see your brothers and sisters and parents, go visit them in Mexico during the holidays. Not the other way around. The American taxpayer and worker cannot be the social safety net for all of Mexico and Central America. And if you're HERE, start seeing it our way in return for the lucky break in life you have to be here. I know *I* feel lucky to have been born an American. And I plan on having this great nation continue to be a great place, for a long time to come.
This is related: America MUST rescue it's industrial base. We don't make anything, anymore. That's why the only jobs left are those working as sales clerks or standing in front of a Home Depot as a day laborer.
Screw the WTO. America has played by the rules for last half-century while East Asia has played a stalling game and gotten rich on our backs. They don't reciprocate and that is why America is now in the toilet. We have to realize that global capitalism is no longer a competition between companies and individuals -it's a competition between national interests. Japan, then Korea and Taiwan, and now China and India have long exploited America's open markets. They have played the merchantilist game to a T. Our own competitive industries are locked out of those countries. America's middle class has been sucked dry.
We need to scrap our economic trade model and start demanding reciprocal trade agreements on a bilateral basis, country by country. Free trade with free traders works best. What we have right now, is the very worst. We give away the store, and the eastern hemisphere willing takes it. Period.
Get mad folks. Demand that the old playbook gets torn up. We need to unite behind our national interests -just like the powerhouses of Asia have done- before it's too late.
Racists have such short memories. Inadequate ppl want to blame everyone for the economy but themselves and their neighbors. NO ONE forced ppl to live above their means. People in Las Vegas are all about appearances. A few years ago everyone in this town HAD to have a house and new car. I was taught from a youth in order to buy a home you need at least 20% down and do not take a home mortgage loan out before owning the home for at least five years. WHY EVEN POST THIS ARTICLE? THE SUN ALWAYS PARADES RACE IN EVERY ARTICLE AND ALL THE RACISTS COME OUT. Now it's a story because nonwhites have joined day laborers? why not just write the article from a economic view-more ppl are becoming day laborers? no that would defeat the divide and conquer attitude of this paper. NONWHITES crack me up with their hypocrisy. It was okay to travel and relocate when they did it, killing and destroying cultures along the way. Then the Earth was viewed as a whole place for people to travel and relocate but once whites imposed their laws then no other people are free to travel and relocate. I know all of the racists/ anti immigrants must be atheists, because how could man ever decide who should be where on the planet. Because the creator placed us all on the Earth and HE never stated that migration on Earth is not allowed. The lack of fear for one's own judgment is astounding, spewing so much hate it must be nice not to fear to have to answer for your hate. It astounds me that descendents of immigrants are so racists against immigrants. Native Americans and Africans(greek word) should have done like the Chinese and killed all foreigners that landed on their shores. But no Africans and Native Americans helped feed and helped them survive only to be subject thereafter to racism, murder, and the wiping out of our cultures and the invaders have the nerve to call someone else violent and ignorant every chance they get
IT2HOT: You slammed it right to the POINT!! OUTSTANDING POST!!
Now the one thing that get's me mad is when some people say mexicans work harder, now that is a dam lie flat out! mexicans dont work any harder, then any other race, ive know and worked with manny lazy mexicans, who also coplane about the work just like everbody else does!The reason why most employers like to hire mexicans is because ther willing to work for less money and you can treat the illagels mexicans anyway because they cant go and file complants to anyone,why because there not suppose to be worjing anyway's!!!!
wakeup
Someone who really cares would ask the pertinent question of why these people are forced to leave their families to come here. They have avoided a "problem" in their own country and brought it here.
Someone who really cared would help to solve that "problem" and the other "problem" would take care of itself.
You know the old saying: "Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." Really applies here.
It is not racism, pure and simple.
Many people are not able to clearly express what they feel. This is the gist of the problem. Not being able to understand this actually leaves you to be accused of the same behaviour you are accusing others of.
Help them to learn how to solve their problems and they will solve their problems but they won't do it from long distance and not being where the problem is. Their presence here actually perpetuates their home countries' problem because they are sending money to contribute to the "bad" leaders.
Have you ever noticed that the faster you run away from your problems, the more momentum your problems gain before they finally, as they always do, hit you?
destruct_mutt, interesting point of view but rather than help its neighbors, the U.S. for the longest time supported dictators in Latin America - Somoza, Pinochet, Noriega. The U.S. didn't mind if those governments treated these citizens harshly because, after all, any citizen who is unhappy with the status quo and wanted a better life are communists. The U.S. was so afraid of communism taking hold they were willing to support governments that had no intention of building their economy in a way that all citizens benefitted. And when these people were escaping their countries they came to the the U.S. for a better life. Well, you know the rest. Once established here they bring family members and as well as show the ropes to their fellow countrymen. There are consequences that the U.S. is paying for for not doing the right thing back then. That is not to say that I support illegals in this country, but I am merely pointing out how we found ourselves in this mess.
So here's the question that will really drive people nuts. was it "on purpose" or an "oopsy"?!
Good intentions gone wrong?
Was it an act of treason against we the people or just misplaced good intentions?
A lot of these "problems" that we have, seem to have a very fine thread of connectivity running through them.
Big Bush administered "Iran Contra", I could not understand how that issue never came up during his run for president.
There are a lot of El Salvadoreans here in Vegas. I have worked with them.
"joining immigrants"? MORE political correctness. EVERYBODY knows almost all of those "immigrants" are illegal aliens! CITIZENS competing against illegal aliens for jobs! Sickening!
HELP STOP ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.......MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD: http://www.numbersusa.com/content/
so much for that lie of "doing jobs American's won't do"
"doing jobs American's won't do"
not anymore. it's time mexico/central america takes care of itself. mexican pride, right?
I saw a lady with a dress on at the exit of Wal mart with a sign asking for help. I pulled over and ask if I could help. It was sad she has 3 kid's the husband took off after loosing his job.. We walked over to Starbucks where she just broke down and started crying. So said sad
Kudos to Star Nursery for attempting to their part to curb the illegal immigrants from harassing their paying customers.
Clark County residences we need to rally around Star Nursery and help them fight City Hall, City Hall has fined Star Nursery for putting a temporary fence around their property to stop the illegals from harassing Americans.
Las Vegas and Metro need to understand we're the American's not the illegal immigrants and our rights are first and they need to step up and do their part and protect Americans and their businesses. For Metro and The City to fine Star Nursery and to compound the issues, they're not arresting these illegal immigrants harassing and threatening Star Nurseries paying customers.
Star has put up signs advising consumers not to use Illegal Immigrants and they're destroying the signs, just another example why they need to be deported back to their country of origin, we're not in Mexico and America doesn't support their choices.
Pen -day Oh's watch out the gringos are coming
Where is ICE when you need them.
"Where is ICE when you need them."
Lets keep government smaller and spending smaller. Republican ideals.
Has anybody thought of the consequences of comprehensive immigration reform? We think if illegal immigration is a major issue now, you wait tell millions more get the message outside our borders. They will come in hordes and not even the undermanned US border patrol will stop them. A new BLANKET AMNESTY will be devastating to the American taxpayers, because we will be expected to pay for every extended family who reaches our soil. Should this AMNESTY pass, you can expect millions more to compromise our national border in one fail swoop. They will get past the fence anyway they can, they will fly in from every dingy corner of the world. They will come and keep coming until our highways will be death traps, our streets slaughter houses. We will be become recluses in our own home, hiding from illegal gang members and perverts preying on our children. We have enough of our criminal element in cells, without housing and feeding people from foreign lands. E-Verify is possibly the best weapon to retaliate against illegal immigration. Senators and Representatives are all suspect, so call them at 202-224-3121. Only because of angry repercussions of THE PEOPLES response, that under intense pressure E-Verify survived. Business interests and the open border groups would have torn it away, but recognition came by thousands of blogger's who notified the public already tired of supporting corporate welfare and their illegal alien hires and family members. It's not over yet because thousands of piratical business and radical groups have massive financial influence on lawmakers we voted to govern us? Be aware of immigration issues and immigration enforcement grading at NUMBERSUSA, Learn about corruption lawsuits, including ACORN sleaze at JUDICIAL WATCH. AMNESTY means OVERPOPULATION that needs your urgent attention at CAPSWEB.
mexican, white, black, asian, whatever, they should all be arrested for tax evasion if they are working under the table.
Since you all decided to write BOOKS on your comments. Mine is simple and will be read by all. OMG WTF! Simple enough.
hey its2hot, except for the mathmatically errors, probably taught to you by someone used to teaching ESL instead of math, this was probaly the best post i've ever seen on this liberal scumbag newspaper. normally this paper is only good for lining the bottom of a birdcage. keep up the good work, its2hot...
btw, the final score was Joe Legal $ 6,400
Jose Illegal $25,200
lunasheart,
Thats it, short and sweet, cant stand those long sermons on a Wednesday
Clark County residences we need to rally around Star Nursery and help them fight City Hall, City Hall has fined Star Nursery for putting a temporary fence around their property to stop the illegals from harassing Americans.
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Remember, that the City of Las Vegas and Clark County are two different government entities...
I love it , you can smell the fear, all you white devils do not belong in this continent anyway , go back to Europe and take big headed bigot Dobbs with you .
cdavid : your racist banter against whites is really motivated by the fact that you are just jealous that you don't have the intellect, imagination or even the ability to think. You are unfortunately just another third world unplanned pregnancy which waits for handouts, and spreads disease and poverty..
cdavid--I agree with environprotector..If your legal then you know where you paperworks at..So why take it out on the white race...
WAKEUP u are right people live above there mean. one good thing about this recession. people will change there want and there need. that why people will not spend money this holiday on toys(want) and spend money on clothess for kids(need). you will never see the prosperity we had in bush administration because we blue collar low income help this bastard all those years. those year was false econmy. if we pull back our spending in 2001-2008 we were have got rid of him sooner
This reminds of the sobering statement by Wal-mart in the NYTimes yesterday.
"There are families not eating at the end of the month," said Stephen Quinn, executive vice president and chief marketing officer at Wal-Mart Stores, and "literally lining up at midnight" at Wal-Mart stores waiting to buy food when paychecks or government checks land in their accounts."
Ummm....we can close the borders but that's not how the illegal immigrants are getting here. The coyotes that are bringing them over are American. They stay because of the legal Americans that are hiring them.
Soooooo now what?
This is the result of 8 years of the Bush Economy. Times must be pretty bad to push US citizens into the exploitative, unstable day laborer market. But since the guy is a US citizen, he'll have complete access to what remains (after conservatives have almost destroyed it) of the US-citizens-only safety net constructed by enlightened progressives to keep US citizens from dying on the streets for lack of money (sub-minimal food, shelter and medical care, unlike MOST undocumented workers who pay income, sales and other taxes but cannot legally access these services for any meaningful length of time and are therefore subsidizing US citizens).
It might be worthwhile to discuss the role of US foreign policy and US corporations in destroying the home countries of undocumented workers who usually do day labor, forcing them to come to places like the US to eek out a dismal, unsafe living.
It's sad to see so many idiotic conservative lies written here, but that's the easiest way for them to spread mis-information I suppose.
HELP STOP ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.......MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD: http://www.numbersusa.com/content/
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