16 Responses to “HIRING ILLEGAL ALIENS”

I don’t have an answer but I as interested to see the conflict that it stirred up in myself on both sides. Interested in what others think.

 Posted by: Tony Steward // July 27th, 2008 at 9:11 pm

I’m not sure about the morality of hiring someone who is an illegal immigrant; I just don’t have an opinion. However, I feel that to pay anyone less than a decent living wage, regardless of citizenship status, is unjust, inhumane, and reprehensible.

 Posted by: Daniel Osborne // July 27th, 2008 at 9:22 pm

Wish i could have found someone for $1000 to move us! On the issue of illegals, there are no easy answers, imho. We deal with them here in Tucson but the USA is not the only nation dealing with this problem!—-

The Italian government says it is extending its state of emergency over illegal immigration to cover the whole country. The ruling gives Italian authorities additional powers to control immigration, which has almost doubled over last year’s figures. More than 10,600 illegal immigrants have arrived by boat so far this year.

 Posted by: Phil Thompson // July 27th, 2008 at 10:21 pm

i think how i grew up affects my thought on this. we always grew up in migrant farming communitities so we had pretty much only immigrants (most of whom were not here legally) in our small, West texas towns. They were a part of our church and a part of our family.

I saw a lot of the struggle they went through, literally, to put food on the table. So, to me, hiring them compared to overpriced movers is a no brainer. Chances are, they need money too. And many of the times they are working to achieve legal status…it’s a hard process.

I wouldn’t pay them unfairly, but I would hire them.

I could write about this for a while, but I’ll just stop now.

 Posted by: anne jackson // July 28th, 2008 at 3:59 am

how do you know without a doubt that the guy hanging around home depot is illegal? sure, it’s a good guess that he is, but unless you ask you really can’t be sure. and if you ask they’ll probably scatter!

also, if it’s a taxation issue, how are you going to be sure the guy you hire on CL is going to pay? are you planning on 1099ing him?

lastly, i’ve been all over the poorest parts of mexico. i’d be here in the states hanging out at the home depot looking for work if i was in their shoes.

and FWIW, i’m not a fan of illegal immigration and i think we should go to much greater lengths to put an end to it.

 Posted by: adam // July 28th, 2008 at 4:07 am

I think it’s cool to hire illegal aliens, and pay them a real, fair wage, not dirt cheap.

I feel bad for them, and they’re hard workers (in general).

I don’t think it’s super fair that we get to keep them out and keep our high standard of living - they wouldn’t be risking their lives to come over here (many die in the desert) if their country didn’t suck. And it wouldn’t suck if we would care enough about them to help.

It’s like your neighbor dying of starvation - while you live in a mansion. Is it their fault or your fault?

 Posted by: Jesse // July 28th, 2008 at 5:18 am

I’ve really wrestled with this so much in my own worldview. On the one hand, illegals are breaking the law by coming into our country illegally and if I was a legal immigrant and had jumped through all the hoops to immigrate legally, taken the tests, pay my taxes. I’d be kind of ticked off.

Secondly, illegal immigration causes lots of problems fiscally for our nation. I feel its a huge issue long term for our country.

Thirdly, most stats show lots of drugs are smuggled into our country through illegal immigrants. I just read an article online about how the state of California is having to dip into the education budget to pay for their jails and a huge percentage of that is illegals.

On the other hand, being an American makes me no better than an illegal alien and I think the authority of the Bible trumps the authority of our nation.

Where I’m torn is whats the best solution. Should we just let them in with open arms in America? Should the church rise up and take responsibility for the issues or do we close down the border and go into Mexico to fix the problems?

Tough call, lots of questions. I’m personally not for amnesty but I’m not sure what the answers are in this situation.

 Posted by: Ross Middleton // July 28th, 2008 at 5:40 am

I would hire them- just pay them well and treat them with honor and respect. I just bought a home here in Austin. I hired some local immigrants who work for the builder to do small things like painting and trim.

I paid them more then they asked. And they did a great job. Not sure if this is right or wrong-just my approach.

 Posted by: Chris Marlow // July 28th, 2008 at 7:13 am

I don’t have a problem hiring illegal aliens for work - not because they are cheaper but because they are here looking for a way to provide for their families as well.

Have I hired them? No.

Would I? Yes.

 Posted by: Aaron // July 28th, 2008 at 8:36 am

I wish we had a clear and effective way to welcome new citizens into our country and a clear and effective way for citizens of other countries to fill any gaps we have in our workforce.
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That being said, I think the only way to actualize this is for people to stand up and do like Mike. By ignoring the problems of our citizenship and work visa processes, and hiring immigrants under-the-table, we are enabling the problem. And that doesn’t promote change, it promotes more of the same behavior.
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I know this in my head, but that doesn’t disqualify me form being a hypocrite. I have never knowingly hired an immigrant, however I haven’t gone out of my way to find out if the spanish-only speaking latinos that clean my toilet or cut my lawn or paint my house are U.S. citizens. My guess is that some of them are and most are not.
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If the saying is true that you are either part of the solution or part of the problem, chalk me up in the problem category.
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peace|dewde
http://dewde.com

 Posted by: dewde // July 28th, 2008 at 8:41 am

I’d hire them. I think the way the word “illegals” is being tossed around in the media and politics is disgraceful. With words, people are marginalized. The media focuses on crimes committed by illegal immigrants and attempts to paint an entire community with a broad brush.

We can’t call ourselves a Christian nation and treat any group of hard working people as if they are less than human and not worthy of a fair wage, an education, or emergency services.

In the Old Testament, God required Israel to treat the “alien” with respect and hospitality. They were to have access to benevolence, worship, and fair treatment in the market. The reason for this was that Israel was God’s representative on earth, a light to the nations. If that was God’s heart then, what should the Christian attitude toward “the alien” be?

 Posted by: bryonm // July 28th, 2008 at 4:31 pm

bryonm:
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not sure i’m with you on that one man. i don’t see how calling an illegal immigrant “an illegal” is disgraceful? it’s an accurate descriptor.
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a fair wage, according ot the laws of this land, would be no wage at all. i think the illegal immigrants (i dont mean to offend but what else should i call them?) do themselves a disservice by jumping the border and working under-the-table. i think if they all left our economy would suffer and you would see legislation go through to bring them over legally (on work visas or as citizens) so that they can pay into our tax system and receive the benefits our country offers its citizens.
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i’d love to make it easier for honest, hard working immigrants to live and work here. i’d also love to export a large bushel of native born grade A top choice American slackers to other countries so we don’t have to deal with them here.
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i work in I.T. and i am drastically outnumbered in the workforce by Indians. every single one of them is on a legit work visa and they work twice as long and twice as hard as their native born, white American counterparts. the reason they can go through all the trouble to get visas and work here, and also have access to the benefits of top quality health care while they are here, is because they are white collar workers in white collar jobs. i think something in our system is broke if it inhibits blue collar workers, that our economy needs, from getting into our country legally.
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i just don’t see what’s so disgraceful about calling black, black, and white, white. an illegal immigrant is an illegal immigrant. and “alien” is not a dirty word either, some are illegal aliens and some are resident aliens.
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peace|dewde
http://dewde.com

 Posted by: dewde // July 28th, 2008 at 6:55 pm

How do you know their illegal? If I did, or assumed I did - then I wouldn’t hire them unless I was willing to pay them what I would do it for - otherwise it is wrong. I’m struggling with my cheap consumerism as of late though. I don’t like to pay a lot, but I like to buy a lot - which means some slave-like person makes the stuff I buy - it is wrong and I need to do more. We as a church need to do more.

 Posted by: Kevin Davis // July 29th, 2008 at 8:45 am

My post simply reflects what many others are already saying.

I hate that the issue of illegals tends to focus on the people when they are not the source of the problem. The problem is a broken immigration system on our side. President Bush’s guest worker proposal was brilliant. You give them a temporary legal pass that allows them to stay in country, pay taxes and work with out fear. And during that time they can begin the process of naturalization or they have to go home when the time is up. In the mean time. If they want work…give it to them.

 Posted by: Kenyon // July 29th, 2008 at 9:02 am

I live in El Paso, right on the border with Mexico. I’m five minutes from absolute desolation. There is a section of our freeway that runs past mansions with a mountain view on the right, and shacks made of cardboard on the left. The only thing separating them is a freeway, a river and a fence. Any one of us could have been born just a mile south and we would be the illegal aliens. Though they are here illegally, maybe we should see them through the eyes of grace? So yes, I would hire them and I’d pay them just as much as I would pay anyone else.

 Posted by: Josh // July 29th, 2008 at 8:59 pm

Mike - i would have worked for free. . . or at least gas money and a place to sleep for my wife and I to get out of Vegas.

Benj

 Posted by: Benji Zimmerman // July 30th, 2008 at 5:09 pm

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