Ask Rockridge: Ending the Amnesty for Abusive Employers

http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/rockridge/005

We were recently asked how progressives can reframe the immigration debate, moving it away from the conservative mantra of "illegal immigrants" to larger, more substantive issues.
We agree — the issue must be re-framed. Talking about "illegal immigrants" distracts us and even makes us afraid to face the real issue here: We have an economic system that creates economic insecurity and promotes the exploitation of most American workers for the benefit of a few elites. When we re-frame the issue as one of economic exploitation, we can begin to address the underlying problems that face all workers in America -- the need for jobs that are safe, secure, and pay a living wage, combined with health care for everyone.

When the issue becomes an economic one, we can start talking about progressive values, which make it immoral to exploit workers. We can also start talking about why economic exploitation is prevalent in America: Conservative policies have weakened unions and drastically restricted workers' rights, redistributed money through tax cuts from the middle class to the wealthiest 1%, and promoted trade policies like NAFTA that have reduced the wages and job security of workers on both sides of the border. In effect, people fleeing the economic hardship of their home country and coming to the U.S. in search of work are "economic refugees." Americans, too, can be "economic refugees" inside the U.S., leaving their hometowns due to factory closings, for example, in search of a job wherever they can find it.

DBunn, writing on DailyKos, succinctly presents the economic frame and the progressive solution: (1) make good working conditions a requirement and there will be no advantage in hiring foreign workers without papers and (2) make it easy to report those who cheat and fine those who knowingly exploit workers.

<1> If every American job paid a decent wage and offered safe and humane conditions, and if we had a real national health care system that is not connected to employment, then there would be no "jobs Americans won't do", no market of jobs that only an "illegal" immigrant would take. And there would be no incentive for employers to seek out "illegal" immigrants, who don't have rights or leverage, in preference to American workers, who do. If we eliminate the unfair advantage that employers seek when they hire easily exploitable "illegal" immigrants, we also eliminate 90% of the "illegal" immigrant problem. . .

<2> The big penalties should not be for employers who hire "illegal" immigrants, but for employers who try to cheat on the rules governing living wage and decent working conditions regardless of the legal status of their workers.

If our government did this, every worker in America would benefit. That's the progressive frame.

So, what are the practical steps needed to implement this re-framing? We see three related elements.

LONG AND MEATY ARTICLE CONTINUES....AUTHORED BY:

Eric Haas

This is a case where it takes two to break the law. For every "illegal immigrant" who is caught breaking the law, there is an employer who needs to be paying his debt to society for not doing his due diligence. If only corporate charters could be sent packing as easily as human beings.

As for Smithfield, :nopity:

It is that the current employment picture in America allows for corporations to exploit illegal immigrants at the expense of American workers.

The whole employment system is corrupt. You have employers demanding, expecting and getting to force people to work in excess of 40 hour weeks, no vacation, no sick leave and very little other benefits to the excessive burden of the working conditions. You get horrible pay and your employer expects you to be on time, never miss a day, work well over 40 hours a week and for what? Barely above minimum wages. So when the illegals come in, willing to work for even less, Americans blame the illegals. It is not the illegal immigrant that is at fault here. It is the whole corrupt employment system in the US.

Given all the fear drummed up by 9/11 and the war on terra, the question of "why weren't the borders secured?" is a valid one. Was it because those hyping terror knew it was over blown?

Also, in reframing the debate, play the "free trade" card, as many, many Americans are now opposed to agreements such as NAFTA & GATT. NAFTA gutted Mexican agriculture and a large part of the immigrant influx is directly related to this. These are desperate people trying to make a living.