Florida is Going to Find Out How Much Immigrants Do

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

People have a hard time admitting that illegals doing menial tasks is our necessary dirty little secret.

Our restaurant industry here is really ready to collapse.
Since most of the back of the house (immigrants) are gone, and the front of the house people stopped after Covid, all that is left is a lot of frustrated owners screaming nobody wants to work.
I can’t believe the amount of restaurant that have close. Those that are staying open have cut their menus and everything takes longer and is no longer the same quality.

originally posted by: JAGStorm

originally posted by: watchitburn
The savings from reduced crime, Healthcare, school overcrowding, homelessness etc... Will offset any marginal benefit illegals provided in cheap labor.

It is not 100% either way.

Again I can only use my state as an example.

I don’t believe we had a lot of immigrant crime, however I’m not naive, and know it does happen in areas and sometimes it’s quite profound.

On the other hand, all that illegal labor help propel a lot of businesses that would have otherwise remained stagnant or at worst close (like many have done here). When growth happens, it doesn’t just happen for illegals, it happens for others too. If a restaurant is successful and grows, they can open another one. They can serve a wider customer base. They have to order more food, more food then needs to be grown and picked. I’m using restaurants as an example but I’m sure it’s even more profound in construction and other areas.

So on one hand, we might not have illegals causing crime, possibly taking low income housing, but on the other hand, growth is stalled or even reversed.

There is crime. A lot of it. And some is downright evil. You don’t hear about it much because a victim that is in the country illegally, is not going to call the police.

Some of the patients I have had, are terrified of having the police involved, and will not report the crimes even when offered support or amnesty.

Immigration Options for Victims of Crimes

Many immigrants are fearful of admitting that they have been a victim of a crime in part because they believe they will be removed (deported) from the United States if they report the crime. U.S. law provides several protections for legal and undocumented immigrants who have been victims of a crime. There are specific protections for victims of domestic violence, victims of certain crimes, and victims of human trafficking.

www.dhs.gov...

a reply to: JAGStorm

Florida immigration bill sparks fear over racial profiling, discrimination Advocates and nonprofits said the legislation could create a hostile and ‘show me your papers’ environment.

As a foreign born legal immigrant that migrated here almost 4 decades ago and that also lives in florida, I can say that is bs.

Why shouldn't you be required to show legal status? that makes no sense unless you want to exploit cheap foreign slave labor.

However, Like my previous post becareful for what you wish for because you just might get it.


The hospitality, healthcare, agriculture and construction industries run on the backs of illegals including the illegal one with fake papers which are a good portion that the gov't ignores. While I think we need to stop and hold American companies severely financially responsible for hiring illegals we also need to weed ourselves of the illegal labor. It is too embedded into our society and especially in Florida.

a reply to: interupt42

The hospitality, healthcare, agriculture and construction industries run on the backs of illegals including the illegal one with fake papers which are a good portion that the gov't ignores. While I think we need to stop and hold American companies severely financially responsible for hiring illegals we also need to weed ourselves of the illegal labor. It is too embedded into our society and especially in Florida.

I couldn’t agree with this more.

Imagine, if we snapped and tomorrow all the ILLEGAL immigrant went back to their countries.

Then oranges are $20 a piece, a watermelon $70, landscape runs $150 an hour, and housekeeping $1000 per house,
Fast food is now $50 a meal, and manual labor now runs $40 an hour….

You hit the nail on the head when you said companies AND people have enjoyed the fruits of others labor!

originally posted by: JAGStorm
a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

People have a hard time admitting that illegals doing menial tasks is our necessary dirty little secret.

Our restaurant industry here is really ready to collapse.
Since most of the back of the house (immigrants) are gone, and the front of the house people stopped after Covid, all that is left is a lot of frustrated owners screaming nobody wants to work.
I can’t believe the amount of restaurant that have close. Those that are staying open have cut their menus and everything takes longer and is no longer the same quality.

We have had a number close around here also, but not because of illegal immigrants, but because the average person around here are hard working people that can no longer afford the luxury of eating out at restaurant.

I have been invited to to the homes of three different friends for dinner. I was shocked the first time I was invited to dinner in a friends home, I had not done that for several years now. Five years to be exact. Now it seems it is a much cheaper way to socialize for everyone. Since we started this new trend, I always bring a side dish and dessert.

The cost of eating out just got to the point that a lot of people just cannot afford it.

originally posted by: SirHardHarry
a reply to: Ohanka

A crap ass minimum wage that hasn't risen in some place in a looong time, and that one party consistently refuses to address or raise doesn't help any, either.

Minimum wage is set federally, states can also change state minimum wage but it will always be the highest minimum wage, federally or state.
Democrats have controlled all three branch’s until recently. So my question to you is…why didn’t they fix it? The fact that you want to blame all of it on republicans is a mute and bogus narrative.

This whole thread is missing one important fact, IMO. Politicians have-and have had for decades-the ability to increase the amount of temporary work visas to allow migrants to do the job that citizens 'don't want' to do.

As far as J1 workers-pretty sure that status doesn't apply to restaurant workers or landscapers to most.
"Non-immigrant visa issued by the United States to research scholars, professors and exchange visitors participating in programs that promote cultural exchange, especially to obtain medical or business training within the U.S."

Same with H-1B.
"The H-1B is a visa in the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act, section 101(a)(15)(H), that allows U.S. employers to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations. A specialty occupation requires the application of specialized knowledge and a bachelor's degree or the equivalent."

Politicians have had DECADES to work out a path for migration, yet kick the can down the road and use it for divisive fodder and campaign points.

Nobody seems to want to consider where all this will end up a few decades-or even years-from now.

I'm reminded of when manufacturing began to move overseas to take advantage of cheap labor in my youth, taking American jobs with it. There was a campaign to 'buy American made' which failed.
It wasn't long before people began to complain about the cheap quality of products labeled 'made in Taiwan' and 'made in Chins'. DUH!

Now, instead of exporting labor for vastly increasing profit margins, we're importing it. The circle jerk continues, with us peasants arguing over it while our policy makers sit back and laugh at how well their long-range planning that nobody even notices is working.

Nobody knows how many illegal immigrants are in the country. Nobody knows where they are. None of them were required to be quarantined or even screened for communicable diseases. They weren't required to be vaccinated against diseases that long ago ceased to be a big problem in the US, but are now making a comeback.

This isn't a 'today' political problem; it's a potentially dangerous, major future problem-all because our representatives refuse to do their job and enact reasonable oversight policies.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Proverbs 14:4 says:

Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.

The point of this proverb is not about oxen, but about the fact that any effort costs something.

If a worker is creating problems that cost more effort to clean up and fix than the value of the work they are doing, then you get rid of the worke and find another way to get the work done. It's all about net gain.

originally posted by: JAGStorm
a reply to: JAGStorm

I find it interesting that people are calling me Biden and attacking me when I am merely giving them a peek inside what I believe will happen to Florida because of what happened in my own much much smaller state.

The people screaming that illegals were stealing our jobs are now scrambling here because we don’t have enough people and are trying all kinds of ridiculous things to get bodies working, old bodies, young bodies, and nobody is budging!

I hear you JAGStorm, we are definitely in a transition period,and unbridled immigration has its negative effects and blowbacks till it is assimilated or rejected.

Florida is its own entity, its situation is totally different than even its closest neighbors Georgia and Alabama. FWIW Georgia will likely absorb quite a bit of those immigrants that leave Florida, though Georgia has new legislation too. There will be a transition period but with all the farms, poultry plants, carpet mills, and relatively diverse Atlanta they will slowly spread out into other areas. There's a reason in North Georgia little Gainesville has a 38% Hispanic population and Dalton Georgia has a 52% Hispanic population. Both areas have assimilated migrant populations into thier communities in the past, just because your area hasn't seen this yet, it doesn't mean it isn't occurring.

I traveled all over the Southeast for the last 30-plus years, some areas absorb the influx and others don't. Sometimes it works wonderfully and the communities thrive, sometimes it doesn't. Success or failure is due to a variety of factors, Ive seen a run-down crime-ridden area of my youth in the mid to late 70s become one the most diverse and growing areas of metro Atlanta with much less crime, and it's now relatively clean and vibrant. It isn't the old Doraville, by any stretch, and took a couple of decades to arrive.

But Florida and really each individual state has to determine what it can and can not handle, right now Florida has too many, hell Georgia likely has too many. We know border areas of Texas, Arizona, and California have too many, but if the legislation isn't effective then those pushing it will be voted out. Pretty sure DeSantis is doing the right thing in Florida if, for no other reason, he is the likely Republican nominee.

Honestly I really get tired of hearing that illegal immigrants do work that others will not do. I would and have done what I have needed to be done regardless of the pay. Also lets be honest they can take the lower paying jobs then the rest of us as their income is supplemented most of the time. I have seen BOTH sides of this coin.

When I was in my mid 20s the company I worked for had went under and was not able to pay our salaries. I had 2 sons and one on the one. I applied for my unemployment while I searched for work. I cut grass, odd jobs everything I needed to keep food on the table and pay the bills. We decided it was time to apply for food stamps. I swallowed my pride and went to the Health and Human Service office to apply for food stamps. I was one the fairest skin tones in the office and the only one that knew English. I did my paperwork reported my income and debt once all said and done I was denied food stamps/SNAP. I was blunt with the lady and asked why. Her exact words to me where "Your vehicle was too new". So I said because I am doing what I can to pay my bills and finding that it was not enough so I cam here to ask for help from a system I have paid into since I was 16 you are telling me my "car is too new?" How am I supposed to look for work without a vehicle I asked. She apologized the only reason we saw any type of help and it was for my wife only was the fact she was pregnant so she did receive some WIC.

After that day I knew then good and well the system was not designed for guys like me and I tend to vomit in my mouth every time I hear the words "white privilege". I will be honest it took a long time for me to get over this and it still bothers me when I see immigrant families at the grocery stores with baskets and I mean baskets of food with 2 to 3 kids and one on the way pull out their SNAP card and pay for it. Truthfully if you are going to be on SNAP and choose to have more children then you should not be given additional funds to compensate. There should be a limit SNAP will pay for up to 2 kids..if you want more that is fine that is on you. FYI Health and Human Services provides FREE contraceptives for men and women so there is NO excuse for a "oops" we could not afford any.

I am sorry for the emotional vomit above and my thoughts all over the place but this still gets me in a dark place. I have a decent job now and I work part time as a butcher for very little pay to expand my skill set so I will never have to rely on the system again. So I will leave this with some additional statistics because I know how those on this site do not like anecdotal information/evidence.

The Fiscal Burden of Illegal Immigration on United States Taxpayers | 2023 Cost Study

At the start of 2023, the net cost of illegal immigration for the United States – at the federal, state, and local levels – was at least $150.7 billion.
FAIR arrived at this number by subtracting the tax revenue paid by illegal aliens – just under $32 billion – from the gross negative economic impact of illegal immigration, $182 billion.
In 2017, the estimated net cost of illegal migration was approximately $116 billion. In just 5 years, the cost to Americans has increased by nearly $35 billion.
Illegal immigration costs each American taxpayer $1,156 per year ($957 after factoring in taxes paid by illegal aliens).
Each illegal alien or U.S.-born child of illegal aliens costs the U.S. $8,776 annually.
Evidence shows that tax payments by illegal aliens cover only around a sixth of the costs they create at all levels in this country. A large percentage of illegal aliens who work in the underground economy frequently avoid paying any income tax at all.
Many illegal aliens actually receive a net cash profit through refundable tax credit programs.

I think we will be alright in the long run. What the media is not reporting, is there is going to be a lot of job openings for Legal Immigrants, as the Illegal Aliens run away 👍

a reply to: Kratos77

Interestingly this is how liberals wants to drill on people about letting open borders importing poverty, yep because that is what illegal immigration is, beside the sex trafficking and child sex abuse. That they do not want to talk about itm, plus the boom on cartels catering to the pedos with money.

Illegal immigration is not about people to work the jobs that "Americans do not want" this time around is to destroy America as a nation.

These individuals crossing the border have to be fed, dress, house and provided health care, yep this is not free, this falls on the backs of the tax payer.

This no just 50k or 100k illegals crossing the border, this is millions in a short amount of time.

Every state will and every tax payer will be feeling the weight.

This is nothing but socialism at its finest.

This is what democrats in power are shoving on the tax payer.

a reply to: Kratos77

I have been there. I spent almost a week fighting with the social security administration after they cut my check. They had a lot of empathy with my situation but claimed there was nothing they could do about it. Meanwhile in the cubicle on both sides of me was translators translating for immigrants to get their money which they did with no problem.

When I asked her, where were they getting the money to give to these people who had not paid a dime into the system. She did not hesitate, she did not blink, she just said with a bit of ire, “from your checks and mine”. I was pissed.

originally posted by: JAGStorm
a reply to: rickymouse

I grew up on a farm

Those days are over, we live in new times and what worked 50 years ago doesn’t work today.

I too worked manual labor and I am paying the price for it now, and from what I’ve read you are too.
I wouldn’t wish this on my kids either.

But at least I can say that all of my backaches and joint problems I have I earned....I got paid or saved money by getting the problems. I could have worn out my knees and hips jogging everyday for exercise, or hurt my back lifting weights at the gym I was paying to belong to. I did a service for society and got hurt, I did not have to pay to get hurt. I was out in the sun a lot working on things, I did not get skin cancer from it and I have never used sun blockers.

originally posted by: SirHardHarry
a reply to: Ohanka

A crap ass minimum wage that hasn't risen in some place in a looong time, and that one party consistently refuses to address or raise doesn't help any, either.

Why is it that places that have jacked up that minimum have the worst economies?

a reply to: JAGStorm

You hit the nail on the head when you said companies AND people have enjoyed the fruits of others labor!

To be fair so have the illegals.

Sure they get paid and treated like slave labor here , but they come here with a purpose and that is to provide for their family where they have no means to get ahead back in their home country.

So while we legal Americans living in American can't survive on the same pay and conditions that illegals work under they certainly can. The reason why is because their end game is to not live here or survive here in the united states. Their end game is to work and send money back to their family. Then once they save enough to buy a home in their country they head back home. So they do have a benefit and incentive to come work here for penny on the dollar .

a reply to: marg6043

I never understood that. The system has no problem with homeless American citizens going without food, clothes, houses, medicine, and medical care, then why is it imperative that we feed, dress, house and provide healthcare to illegal or undocumented people?

This was a constant battle for me when the largest part of my job was trying to find affordable medical care for my poor patients that could not afford medical care or basic services. It used to make me so angry. It still does.

originally posted by: vance
I think we will be alright in the long run. What the media is not reporting, is there is going to be a lot of job openings for Legal Immigrants, as the Illegal Aliens run away 👍

The problem is Legal immigrants can't survive on the illegal immigrant wages. Cost will have to skyrocket.

Illegals immigrants can survive with such low wages because they are sending home a good portion of their salary and do not plan to live in the US . Once they save enough money to buy a home back in their home country they go back home.

The plan is simple. Come here , work their arses off . then go back home and live like a king.

Legal immigrants will not work for the same wages , because they can just as easily not work and live under the same conditions.

originally posted by: JAGStorm

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: JAGStorm
Maybe Florida will be different due to the large population, but I doubt it.

Nearly half of Florida's population is over the age of 50 with about 25% over 65.

I doubt most of them are going to be full time landscapers, dishwashers or housekeepers working for minimum wage.

They are already saying that some of the crops are going unpicked and construction sites are empty.
Also people are cancelling their vacations due to fears there won’t be services and also to take a stand against the verification.

www.cbsnews.com...

'People aren't showing up to work,' South Florida workers already feeling heat of immigration bill

"Many workers are leaving, thinking they're going to be deported, so they're going to other states," says Jose, an employee. "Everyone is really uneasy…we just want to work to help our families."

I live in Florida. All of this is Bull$hit.

originally posted by: Dogo22

originally posted by: JAGStorm

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: JAGStorm
Maybe Florida will be different due to the large population, but I doubt it.

Nearly half of Florida's population is over the age of 50 with about 25% over 65.

I doubt most of them are going to be full time landscapers, dishwashers or housekeepers working for minimum wage.

They are already saying that some of the crops are going unpicked and construction sites are empty.
Also people are cancelling their vacations due to fears there won’t be services and also to take a stand against the verification.

www.cbsnews.com...

'People aren't showing up to work,' South Florida workers already feeling heat of immigration bill

"Many workers are leaving, thinking they're going to be deported, so they're going to other states," says Jose, an employee. "Everyone is really uneasy…we just want to work to help our families."

I live in Florida. All of this is Bull$hit.

Wouldnt be the first time MSM played up something normal as a major crisis... not to mention with a political lean.