Immigration reform?

Higher wages attract more and better workers… it’s really that simple. And if that enhanced compensation package is attracting more employees locally, why are you relying on the H-2B program to begin with? Remember that one of the requirements for a business to qualify to use H-2B workers is as follows:

Employing H-2B workers will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers.

If you can make your business model work during the busiest season by offering a better compensation package but you’re bringing in foreign workers who will do the job for less, isn’t that sort of undermining the purported reason for the program’s existence? There may not be enough locals around Bar Harbor to fill all of these seasonal jobs, but the employers there have been forced to take some actions which they might have considered before running out of visa holders.

The Department of Homeland Security on Monday announced a one-time increase of 15,000 additional visas for low-wage, seasonal workers for the remainder of this fiscal year, a seeming about-face from President Trump's "Hire American" rhetoric, following heavy lobbying from the fisheries, hospitality and other industries that rely on temporary foreign workers.

The increase represents a 45 percent bump from the number of H-2B visas normally issued for the second half of the fiscal year, said senior Homeland Security officials in a call with reporters Monday.

The visas are for workers taking temporary jobs in the seafood, tourism, landscaping, construction and other seasonal industries -- but not farm laborers.

LooseGoose wrote:Maine Town Resorts To Hiring Americans As Visas Run Out

Higher wages attract more and better workers… it’s really that simple. And if that enhanced compensation package is attracting more employees locally, why are you relying on the H-2B program to begin with? Remember that one of the requirements for a business to qualify to use H-2B workers is as follows:



If you can make your business model work during the busiest season by offering a better compensation package but you’re bringing in foreign workers who will do the job for less, isn’t that sort of undermining the purported reason for the program’s existence? There may not be enough locals around Bar Harbor to fill all of these seasonal jobs, but the employers there have been forced to take some actions which they might have considered before running out of visa holders.

The significant downturn in the number of illegal border crossers between the U.S. and Mexico is "nothing short of miraculous," National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd said on C-SPAN Monday.

"As far as the Trump administration's efforts on immigration, this is something they campaigned heavily on," he said. "At six months, where we are on meeting those promises, we are seeing nothing short of miraculous. If you look at the rhetoric that President Trump has given, it has caused a number of illegal border crossings to go down. We have never seen such a drop that we currently have."

"There's a vibe, there's an energy in the Border Patrol that's never been there before in 20 years that I've been in the patrol," Judd added in a separate Fox News interview.

This month, Customs and Border Protection reported a 53 percent decrease in the number of apprehensions at the southwest border since last year. The number also includes those deemed inadmissible. CBP sees apprehensions as a proxy for how many people are trying to cross the border, and says the drop in apprehensions indicates a drop in attempted illegal crossings.

Judd said the Trump administration commanded in two executive orders for border agents to fully carry out related laws, while the Obama administration kept agents from doing their jobs as was intended.

LooseGoose wrote:

The significant downturn in the number of illegal border crossers between the U.S. and Mexico is "nothing short of miraculous," National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd said on C-SPAN Monday.

"As far as the Trump administration's efforts on immigration, this is something they campaigned heavily on," he said. "At six months, where we are on meeting those promises, we are seeing nothing short of miraculous. If you look at the rhetoric that President Trump has given, it has caused a number of illegal border crossings to go down. We have never seen such a drop that we currently have."

"There's a vibe, there's an energy in the Border Patrol that's never been there before in 20 years that I've been in the patrol," Judd added in a separate Fox News interview.

This month, Customs and Border Protection reported a 53 percent decrease in the number of apprehensions at the southwest border since last year. The number also includes those deemed inadmissible. CBP sees apprehensions as a proxy for how many people are trying to cross the border, and says the drop in apprehensions indicates a drop in attempted illegal crossings.

Judd said the Trump administration commanded in two executive orders for border agents to fully carry out related laws, while the Obama administration kept agents from doing their jobs as was intended.

Border Patrol union chief praises 'miraculous' drop in illegal immigration under Trump

NigelUno wrote:

LooseGoose wrote:


Border Patrol union chief praises 'miraculous' drop in illegal immigration under Trump

How's the wall coming along?

AvgMSUJoe wrote:Not sure where to throw this... Brown people bad? Paying Brown people bad?

Michigan farmers squeezed by wage hikes under migrant worker program

Floyd Robertson wrote:

AvgMSUJoe wrote:Not sure where to throw this... Brown people bad? Paying Brown people bad?

Michigan farmers squeezed by wage hikes under migrant worker program

I'm really starting the think that capitalism is a stupid idea. We're just perpetually locked in a cycle of workers wanting higher wages to afford the things that corporate America raises the prices on, which then causes corporations to raise prices again. I mean, a dollar in 1970 is worth about 20 million now. Unfortunately, it's still the best system we got.

TravelinMan wrote:

Floyd Robertson wrote:

I'm really starting the think that capitalism is a stupid idea. We're just perpetually locked in a cycle of workers wanting higher wages to afford the things that corporate America raises the prices on, which then causes corporations to raise prices again. I mean, a dollar in 1970 is worth about 20 million now. Unfortunately, it's still the best system we got.

It’s been all downhill since the U.S. went off the gold standard.

Trapper Gus wrote:The anti - immigrant people in this country remind me of the rich people who want to eliminate all the support systems that helped them get rich.

Plus, without immigrants the economy would be in the dumps.

gomersbro wrote:

Trapper Gus wrote:The anti - immigrant people in this country remind me of the rich people who want to eliminate all the support systems that helped them get rich.

Plus, without immigrants the economy would be in the dumps.

My argument for a progressive tax policy is somewhat analogous. On taxes, it is the rich need to pay more because they have the most to lose when society collapses. With immigrants, it is we need to be accommodating because no one is going to do the jobs we need to keep our society from collapsing.

TravelinMan wrote:

gomersbro wrote:

My argument for a progressive tax policy is somewhat analogous. On taxes, it is the rich need to pay more because they have the most to lose when society collapses. With immigrants, it is we need to be accommodating because no one is going to do the jobs we need to keep our society from collapsing.

The wealthy have nothing to lose.  If America goes to shit, they'll just move to their bunker in New Zealand or Hawaii or the Moon or wherever the hell they want.  They will leave you behind in the rubble.

kingstonlake wrote:

TravelinMan wrote:

The wealthy have nothing to lose.  If America goes to shit, they'll just move to their bunker in New Zealand or Hawaii or the Moon or wherever the hell they want.  They will leave you behind in the rubble.

So what’s the downside in that scenario?

If by some sort of miracle Trumps able to make good on his deporting 11 million poor brown people (only bullshit low hanging fruit racists actually believe it can happen), what do you think will happen to Florida? Those rich folk got it all figured out, right?  The poors aren't needed, right?  Those STD passing MAGA types in the villages will be fine, right? Those patriots in their grossly overvalued homes will survive, right?