Immigrant exodus: Lack of jobs has Mexicans headed home

[AlphaCentauri]

Source: The Fayetteville observer

Arizona officials say they are overrun with Mexicans. In Hoke County, though, Mexicans seem to be heading home - and some business owners miss them.

Raeford mobile home park owner Isidoro Basurto said scores of Mexican families have re-crossed the border in the past year, resigned to tougher immigration enforcement and a bad economy north of the Rio Grande.

"I can tell you, 99 percent of the people that move from this mobile home park, they go back to Mexico," Basurto said.

The Mexican departures may be subtly reshaping the demographics of Hoke County and other North Carolina communities where, until recently, Hispanic immigrants were recruited for demanding but low-wage jobs in farm fields and meat-packing plants - jobs that Americans have shunned.

Business owners who cater to Hispanics bemoan the slumping sales that have followed the sad farewells of customers.

"They usually come by and say bye," said Raeford mobile-phone retailer Xiomara Ruckel, who sells 80 percent of her calling plans to Spanish-speaking people.


Read more: http://www.fayobserver.com/articles/2010/05/23/996860?sac=Home

[krabigirl]

1. This is why I find the AZ thing so ridiculous..they've been leaving for years now.

[gateley]

2. And if we actually prosecuted the employers who are exploiting these

people, there wouldn't be jobs to be had.

[RKP5637]

5. So true. The lack of prosecuting these employers makes a very unfair system for

all. Those taking the jobs get screwed by low wages, exploration and unfair working conditions. The democrats seem afraid to do anything and the republicans want cheap slave labor, so caught in between are those seeking a better life. It is an extremely unfair system the way it is... and this crap has been going on for decades and decades. It is disgusting, absolutely disgusting.

[Bobbieo]

8. The emphasis always should have been on the employers as

they are responsible for the rash of immigrants in the first place.

It all started out in the SW fields during WW2 when our young men were at war and the growers found a new source of cheap labor.

[EFerrari]

22. People from Mexico have been on a yearly route to and from Mexico

since before this country existed.

[itsrobert]

50. That's why they are called MIGRANT workers

they migrate back and forth.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

3. USA's descent into Third World status is well underway.

We can change that. But, we had better band together soon and toss the Corporations out as the arbiters of what policies and standards OUR government sets.

[RKP5637]

9. I agree with what you said so much. The government is bought by donations

and lobbyists. And even the supreme court seems to want it this way with their recent ruling granting corporations personhood for campaign contributions.

The system is rigged against the majority of the citizens and the USA continues to fall/fail into Third World status. Basically in short our government today is both bought and bribed.

As you say it will take banding together to "toss the Corporations out as the arbiters of what policies and standards OUR government sets."

One of the major difficulties I see is many voters leave their brains at home when they go to vote. The citizens are far too gullible in this country and so very dumbed down. It is sad and pathetic. They often listen to the wrong people for the wrong reasons and vote in the wrong people for the wrong reasons.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

15. The stranglehold on information, and how its flows, is absolutely

critical to engaging our population. If we are to work to ends that better serve our needs, we must disassemble the network of propaganda sources currently entrenched as the MSM. We are under siege.

Goebbels knew what he was talking about, and the elite goons that control the boardrooms of the corporate "news" entities have implemented his strategies and tactics in a full spectrum of vehicles.

[RKP5637]

31. Quite true, we are in a media stranglehold and under siege. I feel so many are being unwittingly

lead down the path by such manipulative propaganda. Goebbels IMO would have loved the manipulative propaganda tools available today and how easily people can be herded. Our sense of any investigative reporting has dwindled down to very few... Most newscasters are robotic clones parroting out canned repertories they call news.

[SocialistLez]

23. Even the Supreme Court is bought.

Have you seen "Orwell Rolls in His Grave"?

I agree the system is rigged.

[RKP5637]

28. "Orwell Rolls in His Grave" No, I haven't see it... sounds very interesting, will do!

Thanks for the info! n/t

[EFerrari]

34. If you have LinkTv, they have been running it for their fundraiser.

It's a wonderful piece.

[RKP5637]

36. Thanks for the info.! n/t

[Bert]

24. It will take the absence of money

In other words it will take nothing less than a total reinvent of our system. No money contributions at all, total public financing of elections, no corporate personhood, while were at it lets get rid of the electoral college, I suppose we cant get rid of the senate, everybody votes and everyone has the right to vote that cannot be taken away, take away the drug war and the empire building of our country, put some real strictures on corporations, tax churches, make our budget something other than paying back those who contributed to those in power. Basically it will take about a hundred years more or less to get something close to a real functioning democracy, at least I hope it could. I am the eternal optimitst, it may in fact be worse in a hundred years or not changed at all.

[RKP5637]

29. Those changes would certainly get it back on track and working for the people. n/t

[ProudDad]

4. Unlike the no-neck fascists who wrote the law

These folks are smart enough to recognize a dying empire when they see, hear, and smell one...


www.transitionus.org

[RKP5637]

32. Can you tell me a little more about www.transitionus.org Thanks! n/t

[William Z. Foster]

6. this can't be

I thought they were taking away jobs from "Americans."

:sarcasm:

[RKP5637]

12. Yep, much as with the very high paying jobs that have now gone to cheaper

labor countries. Americans don't want the high paying jobs either. I guess Americans just don't want any jobs at all. :sarcasm:

This place loosely called a country is outrageous.

[William Z. Foster]

16. management

Management destroys jobs, not other workers. The anti-immigrant hysteria is divide and conquer. Management does not really want to deport people - unless outsourcing is the way to get cheaper labor in any particular scenario - they want to keep all of us in a state of fear and paralysis and at each others' throats.

Divide and conquer - "it's them Mexicans taking your jobs and depressing your wages!"

No, it is management that is eliminating jobs and depressing wages. Wall Street demands that they do nothing else if they want access to capital.

[RKP5637]

21. Yep, and well said!!! n/t

[joeglow3]

52. My father would disagree with you

He was a manual laborer (drywall) for decades. MANY of his friends lost their jobs in the 80's & 90's when illegals began showing up. And these were jobs his friends were MORE than willing to work.

[The Croquist]

55. They are taking away jobs from US citizens and legal residents

Notice I didn't use the term "Americans." that you used. Illegal aliens, and that is what they are, drive down wages for other potential workers. The true victims here are not the Illegal aliens who are supposedly being exploited but the people who could make more money if they didn't have to compete against people who are:
Here illegally
Working illegally
Illegally not paying income taxes
Using public services while being here illegally

Without the illegals, prices will go up but so will wages and those wages will go to our fellow citizens and I would rather a fellow citizen get paid then an illegal alien.

Illegals don't do jobs that Americans won't do. Illegals do jobs that Americans won't do for lousy wages.

[Flaneur]

7. Farm workers, meat packers needed in North Carolina.

I await with bated breath the stampeded of red-blooded Americans to take those jobs.

[iandhr]

11. meet packers

used to be unionized American Jobs. If they are paid decent wages Americans will take these jobs.

[DBoon]

13. US citizens (and union members) used to have these jobs

They used to be part of the middle class

They made middle-class wages and had tolerable working conditions

Coincidentally, consumers also had some assurance that their fresh meat was prepared in sanitary conditions.

We've gone bad to "The Jungle" thanks to the legacy of Reagan

[louis-t]

17. That book still haunts me.

Read it in school in 1970.

[KansDem]

46. And now, we accept beef rejected by Mexico!

DU Thread--"Beef Rejected In Mexico Sold In US"

How the "mighty" have fallen...

[Codeine]

19. Shit, if they paid a decent union wage

you'd be fucking swamped with people looking to do that work.

[joeglow3]

53. Exactly. And they USED to pay a decent union wage...

...until the labor market was flooded with illegal immigrants. Naturally, this drove wages down.

[DatManFromNawlins]

35. Why do you hate unions?

[Flaneur]

37. I was a member of the Amalgamated Meat Packers and Butcher Workers of America.

The packing companies broke our unions in the 1970s. And it was red-blooded, All-American scabs who replaced us, not Mexicans.

[lumberjack_jeff]

39. Then they found cheaper scabs. n/t

[Webster Green]

10. I'm almost ready to follow them.

I've got friends down there who have been telling me for years to come on down.

They love it there.

[RKP5637]

14. You know, seriously, I was just thinking the similar. This country is becoming

more and more of a ripoff each day.

[defendandprotect]

26. There's been an out-migration from US from some long, long time ...

small but happening --

Unfortunately, hard to make such a change . . .

but, also a huge number of people are going to Mexico for medical care!!

Dentistry, as well!!

And, Medicare will pay the doctors there, evidently!!

[defendandprotect]

27. Many of us have thought about it . . .

where are they and what are they saying?

[The Northerner]

18. It could increase if the economy worsens

[sabrina 1]

20. The American Dream

is a bit disappointing once they see it up close. It's disappointing for Americans also. They're not the only ones. I have a friend whose been here for years from Ireland, even served in the military, but she is going home as she said, she would not be able to live here when she gets old.

Another friend from Slovakia and her boyfriend, both here to study and work, have decided to go home also. She misses her family and didn't even wait to finish college. Two Polish friends and another family from Spain, (I worked with a lot of people from other countries) have also returned home. I miss them as they were all wonderful people.

Tourism has been down by at least 17% over the past number of years also. Some of my European friends have told me, ever since the Bush administration they don't see the U.S. as a very inviting place to visit so they go to Australia or N. Zealand instead, or other parts of Europe.

[defendandprotect]

25. Watched a C-span program on this today . .. panel .. which I thought would be

very right wing slanted on the Arizona Immigration law . . .

but found out that most of their crime is coming from the Drug War!!!!

Amazing, huh?

And that the criminals are NOT Mexicans!

Also heard that 75% of Mexicans in Arizona were voting Republican!!!

Arizona was the state with the biggest pro-Repug Hispanic vote!!

Big change right coming due to this law . . .

Arizona is suffering a huge crime wave, but it seems to have little to do

with illegal Mexicans!! Yet, that seems to be the message . . . isn't it?

Also, Mexico is Arizona's biggest trading partner!!


If I were an Arizonan, I think I'd be more concerned about the drug dealers than

the Mexicans!!

We need Mexico to start investing in jobs for Mexicans -- and stop sending their

money to us to support our debt!!

[EFerrari]

30. Do you know the name of the program? Was it BookTV

or a panel on CSPAN1? I'd like to watch it -- they usually put them into their archives. :hi:

[EFerrari]

33. I found it:

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/293622-1

[defendandprotect]

42. Thank you --

Remember that I wasn't sure if it was right wing programming or what so I went back

and forth -- never saw the whole thing and I will try to watch it again this weekend.

Problem is that when Congress is out, C-span sometimes get VERY INTERESTING!!

Not as interesting as they were pre-Newt Gingrich, but they're warming up again!!

:)

[lumberjack_jeff]

38. Then they weren't "immigrants", were they? n/t

[AlphaCentauri]

44. humans?

[Gormy Cuss]

47. No, they were immigrants, just like countless others who moved to a new country with the intention

of staying but ended up going home after awhile.

[lumberjack_jeff]

48. They went "home". n/t

[Gormy Cuss]

49. Yes, that's what the place where one is raised is generally called.

Even people who are happy after permanently immigrating to a new country usually refer to their place of origin as 'home.'


"Home,” he mocked gently.

“Yes, what else but home?
It all depends on what you mean by home.
Of course he’s nothing to us, any more
Than was the hound that came a stranger to us
Out of the woods, worn out upon the trail.”

“Home is the place where, when you have to go there,
They have to take you in.”

R.Frost

[The Straight Story]

40. Bet if we follow them we will be welcome with open arms and blend in

Oh, and Americans did not shun jobs, we shunned slave wages - or more like the employers stopped paying them and obeying regulations.

[MidwestRick]

41. Bye

Come back when you are documented and there will be no issues.

-MR

[No Elephants]

43. Because documented folks don't suffer from any "issues?" LOL, MR.

[kestrel91316]

45. Fewer people from south of the border in Los Angeles has translated into an easing of the

ridiculously overpriced housing rental market. Last fall my landlord LOWERED my rent $100 so he could keep me, and this fall I am asking for a similar reduction. Vacancies about just on my street, and the rest of the area is no different from what I hear.

[kiva]

51. It also appears to have translated into jobs for Americans:

Many Hispanics cleared out after Smithfield began rechecking their Social Security numbers and ICE raided the slaughterhouse, both in 2006.

Blacks took the place of many Hispanics. Black workers went from 41percent of the Tar Heel work force in 2006 to 54percent in 2008.

But I thought illegal immigrants only took the jobs that Americans refused to do?

[kestrel91316]

56. People who say that don't consider blacks to be humans, let alone Americans.

So in their narrow-minded world view, it's true.

[MellowDem]

54. Bwhahahaha!

Aww, those poor businesses are going to miss their illegal cheap labor? Aww, that's too bad! Hmm, guess they'll have to find a way to make those jobs not so shitty that Americans will want to do them! Or they can try shipping their company to China.