illegal imimgrants

[Mummy]

Tonight on the channel 3 News they did a story on Illegal Immigrants who are here in Vermont "Illegally" to help the Farmers.  The News Story went on to interview a lady who said it was a good thing.  The interview went on to say that VT hospitals will not see a patient who do not have a SS#.  The Illegal Immigrant workers are working around our food supply!  Am I the only one WORRIED about this health hazard? Just wondering why we have any Laws when they are NOT enforced.

[Stand Alone Defense]

I work for Immigration Customs Enforcement and I promise you that when we find Illegal Immigrants they are deported.  That being said though the little groups of 2 or 3 that help out dairy farmers aren't a real big concern.  It's the factory's that have 4 to 500 working for them it's the gangs and other criminal Alliens in the US.  there are about 15 million Illegal immigrants living in the united states today.  Hundreds come across the Mexican border everyday.  They estimate that 240,000 immigrants in the US are prior deported sex offenders.  These are the people we are trying to get out.  Also I believe that alot of vermont farms would not be here to if it were not for the Mexican laborers.  Its sad but true no one wants to milk cows being a hired hand anymore.  It's hard to find help being a farmer, help that you can afford anyway.  As for the health thing that is not good for anyone involved I agree something really needs to be done.

[7F24]

I don't understand what health hazard you are "WORRIED" about.  Do you think the milk will make you sick if the alien milking the cows can't get his broken arm fixed?  Have you ever seen a banana farm in the US?  If you eat vegetables, there's a good chance they were not grown here.  There is no health hazard.  If you want to worry, worry about why the rest of the world hates us, worry about the economy, worry about getting our service people out of this war, worry about global warming, but don't worry about some poor Mexican that is willing to work long days for a little money to try to make life better for his family.

[PotterFXFD]

      I watched one of the earlier new reports on this. One farmer said he had tried for over a year to find farm help before we turned to hiring Mexicans. We maybe facing a high unemployeement rate here in the US but no one wants to work on a farm for $10.00 a hour. Having talked to a farmer that has used Mexican help, He said they where the best help he had ever had. Always on time, never took sick days and worked very hard all day long.
       None of use should ever forget at one time or another most of use came from immigrants. We should find was for these people that are hard working and law abinding  to either become citizens or some kind of work visa.

[cedarman]

I grew up working hard on farms for $5/hr.  While I think MOST American's don't want to do hard physical work that involves getting dirty, those who don't mind working hard and getting dirty feel they can't earn a decent living for their families.  I'm not talking about a big fancy house and lots of toys, but just paying the basic cost of living in a small house 1200 sq ft or less of space, maintaining transportation to work, elec., medical expenses, etc, etc

While my knee jerk reaction to immigrants is to deport them all if they didn't get here through the right legal channels.   The problem is, SOME immigrants who did get here legally had more intentions of cause US harm than the ones who just want to make an honest dollar.

As far as other issues continually raised in the media about a drain on medical and social resources, personally, I don't believe anyone (American or not) should receive benefits (social security, medicaid, etc) if they (or an immediate family member) have not paid into the kitty.

I appreicate the efforts of those trying to protect us from threats internal and external.  I have no problem with the Immigration department overlooking immigrant farm help for the most part.  Chances are, the guys working on a farm for low wages are most likely NOT planning a terrorist attack - they don't have time.  They are working too hard to earn an honest dollar.

[NorthFairfaxBoy]

There was a stroy a while back on this.  The farmer was learning Spanish to communicate.  Shouldn't be the other way around?  I am all for immigration, just do it legally.  I work with a person from the UK and while it takes some time to become "legal" it really isn't that difficult.  

[Henry]

The farmer interviewed said that there is no work visa for farmers that the immigrants can get like the apple growers do  -  The Vermont Apple Orchards would be in a bad way if they could not get immigrants to come and pick the apples, however they have a legal way of doing it - Sounds like nothing has been done for the farmers to get help in this manner.  Farmers cannot get help to do the jobs they have to do.  Although it is kept rather quiet, these mexican farm workers are not out in public.  They stay pretty much on the farms they are working on.