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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I am for immigration IF
New HS grads, new college grads, and moms leaving SAHM (back at entry level like a recent grad) are taken care of first.[/quote]

Obama started the program for young people who were brought here as children under the age of 16 years old.  DACA or Dreamers needed to be vetted, could not have committed any crimes, needed to graduate high school and then college or a job and check in every three years I think.   A good portion of American born kids would not be admitted into the program because they have arrests or drop outs, or unemployment.     DACA recipients cannot have that.

Trump gutted the program and ended any new applications.   He destroyed it just like he destroys anything successful another president did.

ICE took some illegal immigrants from a Maine construction site.  [b] Roofers that were working at 7 am at below zero temperatures.   There aren’t any Americans in that area who will do the job so the houses that were being built will probably sit there unfinished for who knows how long. [/b]

According to the Maine newspaper there was a group of about 30 Ecuadorians who went to Maine to work from Massachusetts.   Besides roofers they also jailed farm hands.   [/quote]

Why are so many Americans fine with undocumented migrants being exploited and legal migrants and citizens being put out of work? Who do you think did roofing in Maine before wealthy unscrupulous contractors brought in people willing to work in unsafe conditions?  There are absolutely Americans and legal immigrants willing to do roofing when they are paid a living wage AND they work in safe conditions.

Roofing is one of the most dangerous jobs. In 2023 over 100 roofers died on the job. There are many legal requirements that are supposed to be followed so workers aren't injured or killed. Bringing in crews of undocumented workers who are made to work in unsafe conditions and drive down wages are awful for everyone.

Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP) highlight several ways bosses are currently cutting corners with migrant crews in Maine:

"Working by Headlights": Although OSHA requires 5 foot-candles of light, many crews are reported to be working in the dark using only truck headlights or small personal headlamps. This creates deep shadows and "blind spots" where a worker can easily miss the edge of the roof or a trip hazard.

The Fall Protection Gap: Roofers have the highest rate of fatal falls in construction. In Maine, advocates have documented cases of workers falling 15+ feet and breaking bones because they weren't provided with harnesses, or because the harnesses they had were old and poorly maintained.

The Threat of Enforcement: The most significant "safety violation" isn't a lack of a harness—it's intimidation. There are documented instances in Maine of employers threatening to call ICE or Border Patrol if an injured worker tries to file for Workers' Compensation or reports a safety hazard. This creates a "culture of silence" where workers are too afraid to demand the gear they need.

Subcontractor "Shielding": Many large roofing companies hire smaller "subcontractor" crews (often of 5–10 migrant men). This allows the main company to claim they aren't responsible for the safety violations of the "independent" crew, even though they are profiting from the work.

Major Red Flags Currently Seen in Maine

If you are observing a roofing site, these are the most common OSHA violations currently reported with migrant crews:

No Fall Protection: Workers walking on a 2-story roof with no ropes or guardrails.

Ladder Safety: Ladders not extended 3 feet above the roof line or not secured at the top.

Frost Hazards: Crews being forced to work at 6:00 AM when the roof is still covered in "black ice" or morning frost.

PPE Deficits: Workers wearing sneakers instead of slip-resistant work boots, or lacking hard hats in "drop zones" where bundles of shingles are being hoisted.[/quote]

And it isn't just in the roofing industry. So many other industries used to provide a middle class working wage to people with strong unions, health insurance, and worker protections. By allowing undocumented workers to be exploited it harms everyone- both the undocumented groups and the legal working class. Wages are driven down for EVERYONE. Safety protections gone for EVERYONE.

This system only benefits the wealthy from both Republican and Democratic parties. I just don't understand how Democrats support it. If there were not a massive amount of undocumented workers then wages would increase. And if legal residents and citizens didn't take the job then immigrants could legally be brought in to do the jobs. Employers would be forced to pay a decent wage and workers would not be afraid to speak up about wage theft and unsafe conditions.

We are back to Upton Sinclair's the Jungle. “So long as we have wage slavery," answered Schliemann, "it matters not in the least how debasing and repulsive a task may be, it is easy to find people to perform it. But just as soon as labor is set free, then the price of such work will begin to rise. So one by one the old, dingy, and unsanitary factories will come down...and so the dangerous trades will be made safe, or substitutes will be found for their products"

The conditions he described are conditions that still exist today. [/quote]

I have a neighbor near Clifton forge in Virginia.   He lost his landscaping business because illegals overwhelmed the industry and were hired for peanuts .   This undercut legal businesses .[/quote]

Good point. Can we deport Walmart and Amazon, too? The same logic applies, right?[/quote]

Maybe in your feeble brain

Not supporting Amazon or Walmart but equating illegal labor with cheap workers is different

And if we got rid of the illegal labor and limited immigration, wages for low wage workers would rise

But the admin and his minions are very much against that [/quote]

The admin from the urban elites of takoma park [/quote]

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