Why Migrant Workers are Important | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics

Why Migrant Workers are Important

Migrants and immigrants who come to the United States to work on farms and other manual labor jobs are a part of our society whether you like it or not.

2981
Why Migrant Workers are Important

I usually try not to get into politics, but watching Donald Trump give his nomination acceptance speech last night got me riled up. Among other topics, his discussion on immigration fueled a rage deep inside. In his speech he discussed the terror immigrants who have traveled to the u.s. have unleashed, he has normalized the stereo types that these immigrants are thieves, rapists and murderers.

Through my studies and personal experience a majority of these immigrants and migrants risk everything just to provide for their families, most cross the border with legal papers and those who don't still have someone (typically a legal American citizen) forging their papers for them to work on their farm. When you look at the problem of illegal immigration the problem isn't the immigrants themselves.

Without these immigrants working on farms, working for landscape businesses, contractors, builders and working in any kind of construction, what feeds us, shelters us, and helps us live a comfortable life just wouldn't exist as vastly as it does. When you tell us, "immigrants are taking our jobs!", you get us riled up and angry at the wrong people.... We are the ones giving up jobs. Lets face the facts how many of you would be willing to work in 90-100 degree heat, in the sun for 10+ hours a day 7 days a week, for meager minimum wage pay? Not many. The problem isn't the fact we don't have any jobs, the problem is that people are not willing to work in those brutal conditions, not when there are higher paying jobs, in air conditioned buildings.

Working in the greenhouse/garden center business I see it all the time, landscapers in the area can't seem to find many able bodied workers that are willing to put in the time and effort. Farm families just aren't big enough to have a single family run the farm they need help, and cheap labor is the only way they can afford it. People with degrees don't want to see their degree and money go to waste working long hours for small wages. Those on welfare (who are able bodied) don't want to give up their comfortable, paid for, life to work in a field, or get their hands dirty. Next time you want to call an immigrant a rapist or a murderer who is stealing your jobs, read the news and see how many young white males rape girls on college campuses and compare it to the number of immigrants who are on the news for rape. Look at the murder rate and see how many murders are committed by immigrant workers compared to U.S. born citizens. Then make your way to the market, walk around the produce section, I guarantee you a majority of the fruit and vegetables you see, were harvested by an immigrant, and without those immigrants, the shelves would look bare.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
mountains

If you're like me, then the last semester kicked your butt, big time. Lots of papers, projects, and overall chaos. While some things are beyond our control, there are some things you can do to make this semester one of your best ones yet!

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

8 Cringey College Tinder Stories

. Cringey Tinder stories from some Tinder girls

1523
a man and a woman sitting at a table
Photo by Good Faces on Unsplash

Toilet Troubles

"So, usually I would never go on a Tinder date but when you are out with girlfriends and a hot Bosnian guy says he wants to hang with you and his friends, you oblige. We head to their apartment and when I realized I may pee my pants if I don't find a bathroom soon. I ask for the bathroom and a friend of my tinder date shows me to it and said in all seriousness that I was not allowed to flush the toilet under ANY circumstances. Having a few drinks--or five--I relieved myself to, nevertheless, flush the toilet. Within seconds, his bathroom was flooded and towels were laid out everywhere to catch the toilet water. To say the least, we were not invited back"

Keep Reading...Show less
Girl with a Guy Bestfriend
vignette3

I can confidently say that about 90 percent of all the friends I have are male. It's just always been that way since I was a kid. Over the years, I've heard a lot of things and I've learned a lot of things, and here it all is. Enjoy!

If you're a girl with a guy best friend you know that...

Keep Reading...Show less
Greek Life
Clare Concannon

With being a member of Greek life, you are going to come across people who HATE Greek life and who always want to say something negative towards it. If you're not a part of Greek life, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. But maybe try and keep some of the not-so-nice comments to yourself.

Keep Reading...Show less
retail
Chor Ip / Flickr

I'm sure, like me, many of you received lots of gift cards over the holidays. After working retail seasonally, here are a few tips that I learned in order to make the employees at your favorite store just a little happier and not want to charge you extra on your purchase for being awful. Here are some times when you should be nicer to retail workers than you actually are!

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments