Immigrants for some Americans are disposable commodities. Right now, Donald Trump and cohorts blame immigrants for criminal problems in America, violence and for taking jobs away. In the history of the United States and immigrants, we are in the midst of the third cycle of hating on immigrants.
The first cycle was during the Great Depression when immigrants, especially Mexicans and even U.S. citizens of Mexican-descent were rounded up and expelled to México to make room for native workers in the job rolls. As soon as Word War II started and the need for labor increased, immigrants were courted to come back to Make America Great through their labor.
When the economy changed again, in the 1950’s and internal politics roared its ugly head once again, the Mexican immigrants, including those who were American citizens but of Mexican descent, were once again rounded up and expelled to México.
Those were cycles one and two.
Mexicans, including U.S. citizens of Mexican-descent have become a commodity to Make America Great through their labor.
Donald Trump launched cycle three of abusing Mexicans to fill political needs. Now, it is acceptable to beat a 90-year old man and told to go back to his country. Now, it is acceptable to talk about building a wall that makes no sense. Right now, it is acceptable to blame Mexicans for everything wrong in America.
But, as a cycle, the it will soon end and to Make America Great the nation will once again welcome the Mexican labor to fulfill the work needs of the country.
There are those reading this today that are either out of your minds with anger for me stating this and those of you who don’t believe a word of it. So, let’s look at what is conveniently being ignored by most.
On Tuesday, The Wall Street Journal published; “Young people are shunning construction jobs – and it’s hurting the housing market”. The article by Laura Kusisto points out that the American housing industry is having difficulty filling out job slots for construction workers because younger Americans are forgoing the housing industry.
Anyone that knows anything about the American economic engine understands that it is driven by building houses. When houses aren’t being sold, the American economy tanks.
Interestingly, according to the article, home building labor is most needed in states, like Texas and Arizona where immigrants are made to feel unwelcomed.
What does this have to do with Mexican labor?
Traditionally, immigrant labor, especially Mexican labor has filled much needed to work slots to keep the American economy going. This is an inconvenient fact that those opposed to immigrants conveniently forget.
As the construction industry begins to stagnate housing because of the shortage of labor you’ll note that immigrant labor will once again be welcomed. Except that like previously, the immigrant labor will be allowed in by tacitly not enforcing current immigration law like E-Verify.
Why?
Because it allows the Republicans to continue to pretend that they are for “legal” immigration while not adopting legislation that takes the need for immigrant labor into account and provides for legal pathways to work in the U.S.
The Democrats, for their part, will pontificate about the Republicans keeping immigration reform off the table while not doing anything concrete for immigrants when the opportunity arises. This is because the Democrats do not want to alienate the labor base they depend on.
As a result, as the pendulum swings back towards immigrants filling the job slots to Make America Great, the politicos will pontificate while looking the other way as immigrants keep the American economy humming along.
But along the way, the undocumented immigrant is a shadow in the reality of life. Consider that the official count of Mexican victims of the 9/11 attacks is five, according to the U.S. government. The Mexican government acknowledges an additional ten victims but believes there are more.
The problem lies with the fact that as undocumented immigrants there is little to no paperwork to prove the victims died in the Twin Tower attacks. It is impossible to acknowledge their deaths, much less their existence.
In other words, those that toiled in the shadows and disappeared into the darkness of death brought on by terrorists they had nothing to do with are not even footnotes in the quest to Make America Great Again.
