Are employers actually recruiting illegal immigrants?

Studies have shown that most illegal immigrants are working at jobs that American citizens would do. As a matter of fact, only about three percent of those who are here illegally are working in agriculture. Most are working in construction, transportation and service industry jobs. And reports are that these employers are actually going into the fields and recruiting employees!

MSNBC is reporting the following:

"Frequently you hear, especially from California, complaints about construction companies actually recruiting workers from the sides of the fields," said Craig Regelbrugge, co-chair of the Agriculture Coalition for Immigration Reform. Other industries that depend on immigrant labor, such as landscaping and construction, "are also concerned about the overall availability of labor given demographic trends," he said, adding: "But agriculture is the warning sign, if you will, of structural changes in the economy."

I don’t know that these employers are knowingly recruiting illegal immigrants. But they have to know that a high percentage of these folks are here illegally. Why else would they believe that they could offer them salaries that are drastically below what they should be for these jobs?

One of the major effects of illegal immigration is to depress wages. It is simple supply an demand. Because they are here illegally, these folks are willing to take jobs at wages far below what the market wage rate really is.

These employers are complaining that they can’t find Americans to do the work. But the truth is, Americans will do the work. They just won’t accept slave wages to do the work.