Obama's Choice For Illegals: Unemployment In Exchange For Amnesty?

By all accounts, President Obama's executive order will give at least 4.5 million illegals with U.S. born children permanent and legal residency through the existing green card system.  As a result they  will no longer have to work in the shadows; constantly in fear of deportation.

What the executive action ignores is the fact that many employers, not all, hire illegal workers because they will accept low wages, work hard, work long hours and, more importantly, won't complain about either their pay or their working conditions.  In return, there is also an implied agreement that the employer won't turn them in to immigration authorities, unless of course, they give them a reason to do so.

So, what happens when the fear of deportation is taken away by executive action?

First of all, you need to understand that many of these people can't speak or read English.  Some are unable to read in their native language as well, being illiterate and having limited job skills.  So, if it weren't for the fact that employers can get away with paying low wages, these people would normally be unemployable.  And, that's exactly what Obama's executive action may do.

After becoming legal residents with their green cards in hand, those once-illegals must be lawfully paid at least the minimum wage or the prevailing wage for the kind of work being done.  Thus, the low pay advantage goes away.  Also, their newly found status means that they no longer have to fear exposure and possible deportation; so, they are free to complain about salary, working conditions, and long hours.  In essence, they will become no different than any other U.S. born worker.

Ultimately, employers will begin to hire better educated, English speaking, literate Americans over the former illegals.  What we will then wind up with is some number (possibly in the millions) of unemployable workers who will, because of their legal status, be wards of the state; living off of welfare and other poverty benefits.

Thank you, Mr. Obama!

References:

Green Cards and Permanent Residency: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permanent_residence_%28United_States%29

US Ordering 34 Million Green Cards for Illegal Plan: http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/green-card-immigration-surge/2014/10/19/id/601688/

Obama Plan May Allow Millions of Immigrants to Stay and Work in U.S.: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/14/us/obama-immigration.html