Illegal Immigration: Guest Worker

For some time now, immigrants have been crossing United States borders illegally. This raises controversy when illegal immigrants begin to work as a normal citizen. The debate at hand is whether or not to legalize their workers' status as guest workers. It is comparable to the idea of a temporary worker, staying in the country solely with the purpose to work. One side of the debate claims that guest workers take the jobs of legal citizens. Some argue that there is a substantial increase in crimes such as not having insurance and not paying taxes. Others argue when an illegal immigrant takes a low-income job, such as migrant farming, they are being hired into a position that most citizens do not desire. When dealing with heighted rates of lack of insurance and tax evasion, legalizing status would bring that number up seeing as how the guest workers would be legally traceable in America. Furthermore, there is the idea that when more jobs are available in the United States, more revenue and prosperity can be generated for the country's economy. The topic of whether or not illegal immigrants should be given guest worker status is on the nation's 'hot plate' of debate.

Weighing the pros and cons of illegal immigrant work, having guest workers could be a key and vital part of America. Through observing how this issue is important, skepticism to the idea is only lowered with an education and observance from tackling both standpoints. An illegal immigrant worker could bring a higher work ethic into a job where such would normally be absent. Illegal immigrant workers given this notion, would help both the economy and the ethics of the work force in the United States.

So, is having an illegal immigrant worker beneficial to the economy? Guest workers fill the jobs within the market that few citizens ever take. This provides the filling of a job void that would not have been filled before by a legal citizen; more often than not because of the low income or the tasks associated with the job. This can be seen through the farming industries found along the west coast. How many people would typically be willing to work for low wages under the sun for ten hours a day performing harsh, physical activity? Not many, but illegal immigrant workers on the other hand, seem to overrun this job. If illegal immigrant workers did not fill the jobs that are most often left empty, there would be a lack of willing workers for many undesired areas of the country's job market. This idea would overall harm the country's economic success and growth, as well as would there be a decrease in the country's agricultural productivity.

Typically, illegal immigrant workers take the jobs that hold no competition with other legal citizens. Economy Policy Institute's Living Standards Program Director Jared Bernstein says, "Most economists should bristle at the notion that immigrants are filling jobs that native workers won't take." Illegal immigrant labor generates a sense of urgency then to pick up the lower income end of the job market. Further legalizing their