(8) AMERICAN ENOUGH, JUAN'S JOB

One argument I’ve often heard for opposing illegal immigration is the fact that these undocumented workers would take away job opportunities from legal citizens. This is especially true during an economic recession like the one we are experiencing now. Though I can empathize with this hesitation, this is a faulty line of reasoning. To clarify, I ask you this: What jobs do you think many of these undocumented workers are stealing from American citizens? Is it a high-paying engineering job, working as a prestigious medical doctor, a government job with benefits, living out the American dream as the CEO of a successful entrepreneurial business? In other words, all of the jobs that most Americans aspire to have? Certainly not.

    I may be wrong, but even for me to work as a canvasser (likely one of the world’s least desired jobs) I had to show a social security card and birth certificate. Undocumented workers, being undocumented, would likely not have any of these forms to provide for even the most basic job. As a result, I don’t think anyone needs to worry about them stealing your chance to work at the local Walmart for minimum wage. Instead, I would assume many of these people would be working the jobs that we unfortunately have a tendency to associate with Hispanics: nannies, maids, field laborers, etc.. Jobs that would be less likely to require formal paperwork and be more likely to be done for below minimum wage in less respectable conditions.

    In no way do I write this with the intent to belittle or stereotype the people who work these jobs, no matter their race. If anything, their willingness to do so in order to support themselves and their families should warrant more respect. I only say it to stress the fact that these were not the career paths most of us aspire to have — or that we would willingly take in most situations. This association affects many Hispanics who are here legally as well. So if you oppose the idea of illegal immigration, as is your right, you’ll have to pick a more educated argument with which to do it. Maybe then we can all do more thorough research, myself included, and have better opinions accordingly.