There Are Jobs Americans Won’t Do: Fact or Fiction?

Published on September 3rd, 2009

Posted by Uncle Dave in Politics, Research

The recession has caused some people to take jobs they could never have imagined working in. But in ‘normal’ times, what does this study mean for the immigration reform movement?

Most illegal workers in the US are Mexicans who mow lawns, clean motel sheets, butcher hogs, pick strawberries, and otherwise toil away at tasks that, as George W. Bush once said, “Americans won’t do.” And they often are paid less than the minimum wage.

A widely held assumption in Washington’s debate about immigration is that native-born Americans avoid menial and dirty work. Laid-off autoworkers wouldn’t really wash dishes at a Denny’s or milk cows on a dairy farm, would they? Such a notion has long helped justify a flow of foreign workers into the US – or possibly an amnesty for those hiding from the law.
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With people desperate for income, downward mobility may be on the way up.
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Maybe it’s a myth that Americans won’t take certain jobs. In fact, a study by the Center for Immigration Studies used 2005-07 data to look at 465 occupations. Only four had a majority of immigrants in them.

55 users responded in " There Are Jobs Americans Won’t Do: Fact or Fiction? "

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# 1 Rabble Rouser said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 6:11 am

FICTION!
The only reason that jobs go to illegals is because people hire them for LESS THAN MINIMUM WAGE. This is a product of the incessant greed that surrounds us, on the part of people hiring these people.

# 2 Dennis said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 6:14 am

There are jobs Americans won’t do because they don’t pay a living wage.
Whatever the job may be…it has to pay for Taxes, Healthcare, Social Security etc as all of these are taken BEFORE you get paid.
In Oregon, minimum wage is paid to the guys who pump gas, and they are ALL Americans…but they have to work multiple shifts to cover the TAXES that are removed because it is reported income.

# 3 Benjamin said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 6:16 am

From the article: “And they often are paid less than the minimum wage.”

There is a reason that Americans won’t do these jobs. It is because they can get an illegal to do it who won’t complain when you cheat him out of his wages. These companies that hire illegals for less than minimum wage need to go to jail.

“When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong.” — Leviticus 19:33 (ESV)

I do not approve of illegal immigration, but a lot of illegals are law abiding (except for coming here illegally) and are hard workers. It’s no excuse to take advantage of the alien. The companies that hire illegals are much worse than the illegals who simply want a better life.

# 4 Ron Larson said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 6:17 am

Yes. There are jobs that Americans won’t do…. for the pay and conditions that the employers offer.

The key is the terms. Of course someone doesn’t want to work for less than minimum wage. Or work in a dangerous or abusive situation. That is why we have a minimum wage and labor laws in this country.

I hate it when some people I know piss and moan that they can’t find anyone willing to work for them washing dishes or as a maid. They say “I had to hire an illegal”. Well no shit. They offered almost nothing in pay, and zero benefits.

The sad part is that businesses are allowed to get away with hiring illegals. This means that an employer that doesn’t want to break the law is at a competitive disadvantage. How is it fair when your competition gets to break the law with impunity?

AZ did the right thing a couple of years ago when they started cracking down on the employers, not the illegals themselves, to break this cycle. Guess what started happening in AZ? The illegals stopped coming because the employers stop hiring them.

We need to attack the demand, not the supply side of the problem. However, big business will never allow Congress to enforce labor and immigration laws.

# 5 AdmFubar said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 6:19 am

I hear there are americans that even write on blogs!
What is this country coming to???!!!!

# 6 jay said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 6:31 am

Some (most?) of the illegals’ employers pay SS and Medicare taxes under stolen/fake SS#s.

Draw your own conclusions.

# 7 MikeN said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 6:32 am

These jobs ‘Americans won’t do,’ the majority of them are held by Americans.

# 8 Benjamin said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 6:36 am

Illegal aliens drive down the cost of labor because businesses cheat them. There is also the case of a Swift plant manager stealing people’s IDs which screws up wage reporting IRS stuff for the people whose social security numbers gets used by the illegals. Do you want to get audited because you didn’t report the wages attributable to identity theft?

It’s not the illegals stealing the identities of people. It is the businesses that hire illegals that steal the IDs to satisfy their paperwork.

# 9 bobbo, everything is connected to everything said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 7:05 am

“Maybe it’s a myth that Americans won’t take certain jobs.” /// Well, its true in a strong growing economy, Americans won’t quit high paying jobs to take minimum wage jobs. But in a failed economy with no other options, yes the bottom rung will be grabbed before drowning.

What did you think was happening?

# 10 Sea Lawyer said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 7:06 am

“Illegal aliens drive down the cost of labor because businesses cheat them.”

Which is quite worse than unions that drive up the cost of labor through collusion, with the aid of governments that pass laws prohibiting non-union competition.

# 11 tcc3 said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 7:16 am

We certainly won’t do them for less than minimum wage.

# 12 Brian said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 7:23 am

Illegal’s have destroyed entire industries because of labor costs. In the early 80’s I was a contractor, mainly roofing. We did good work, stood behind it and charged a fair price. Our workers were steady, well taken care of and everyone was happy. I knew many people in the business and saw what kind of work was done, for the most part very high quality. These were community people, the houses we worked on were our neighbors.

By 84 there was such an influx of illegal’s that the price structure would not hold up. There was no way to compete with them even if the work was shoddy and it was. I saw this across all trades, the worst was trim and drywall. Ever wonder why texture became popular? It was to hide the crappy sheet rock work. Take a look at the trim in a house built prior to 1985 (assuming no re-model), look at the fit in corners, the miters, now look at a house built now. It is just sad. The best price is usually the worst deal.

I know I will be called a racist, wing nut, Nazi, Bush lover etc. Also I am aware that companies do take advantage of them, I am only telling it from one perspective. The one I know first hand and how many people were put out of business.

# 13 GigG said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 7:32 am

The minimum wage is not a real number. It is based on what number the labor unions could get Congress to pass. The unions care about the minimum wage not because their members are working for it but because their member’s much higher wages are tied to it.

I run a labor temp service in Arkansas. A state with wages much lower than the national average. We have a couple of thousand employees working at what anyone would consider low skill jobs.

When the minimum wage went up in July I had to run a wage report to make sure everyone was over the minimum. Out of 2022 employees there were exactly 35 people below $7.25/hr and all but 3 or 4 of those were high school kids that work at a burger joint.

I also have clients who we do HR management for that have Hispanic employees. All of them had the required SS card and state picture ID that allowed them to be hired. Not a one of them works for less than $10/hr and many of them make in excess of $20/hr. The owner didn’t hire them because they would work for less, they don’t he pays non-Hispanics at the same rates. He hires them because they actually show up for work on time. Work while they are there and don’t fail the random drug screens.

Yes, there are jobs that Americans won’t do but they aren’t all low pay jobs.

# 14 Sea Lawyer said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 7:53 am

#12, Brian, funny you mention residential construction. Here in Northern VA, you can walk into one of these mammoth houses that was selling for $600k a few years back and see that for as much as they cost at the time, the people building them couldn’t even hang the damn cabinets without mistakes and then doing a half-assed job of covering them up.

# 15 huskergrrl said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 7:55 am

Our local packing plants pay nearly double minimum wage, yet literally 90% of their job applicants are not native-born Americans.

We are grain farmers and have a great deal of difficulty finding non-immigrant labor for rogueing soybeans. Kids used to line up to do it for a couple of bucks over minimum wage 15-20 years ago. Now the only people willing to do this labor-intensive job in the heat of summer are immigrants. And they are definitely paid more than minimum wage. This is why farmers plant Round-Up Ready beans.

# 16 pedro said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 7:58 am

It justy proved is a figment of illegality lovers’ mind. Plain and simple. The fact for supporting illegal immigration are the same in the US as everywhere else: get cheap, disposable labor & secure votes; plain and simple.

#12 Illegals didn’t destroy anything. The people that brought them, kept them & exploited them both politically & economically did. They are one of the results of both the economical & political collapses in the US.

# 17 jbenson2 said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 8:03 am

Uncle Dave asks the question: But in ‘normal’ times, what does this study mean for the immigration reform movement?

For starters, instead of using a politically correct feel-good term, how about calling a spade a spade and refer to it as a border control.

# 18 Named said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 8:21 am

16 pedro,

” The people that brought them, kept them & exploited them both politically & economically did. ”

Wow. That sounds just like a Republican! When did you become a COMMIE NAZI SOCIALIST?

# 19 Brian said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 8:33 am

#16 Pedro

Yes illegals did destroy it, the jobs were being ran by illegals with illegals. Not everything in the world can be laid at the feet of evil American business. These were hard working Mexicans with a head for business. They came up here, got enough documentation to cash checks, brought a crap load of relatives to do the work and they were all happy.

The fact that most of us would not hire and exploit seems to have gone unnoticed by you.

Try and keep up.

# 20 Dale said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 8:41 am

Yes, it’s not “jobs Americans won’t do,” it’s employers hire the ones that will do it for sub-poverty level wages with the only benefits being free fruit from your basket on your only 20 minute break in a 12-14 hour day.

# 21 bill said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 8:48 am

I found that that they won’t even talk to you (in English) if you weren’t ‘illegal’ or otherwise… I finally gave up asking.

I really needed a job then.

# 22 bobbo, everything is connected to everything said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 9:10 am

#19–Brian==“Not everything in the world can be laid at the feet of evil American business.” /// No, but illegals being hired in the USA is COMPLETELY AT THE FEET OF EVIL AMERICAN BUSINESSES. Thanks for trying to hide the ball. I wonder what motivates you to do that?

# 23 pedro said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 9:10 am

#18 The hiring of illegals was done mainly by repug types. The political exploitation of illegals was done by lefty loons like you. Keep playing the “anybody that bad talks lefty loons is a repuke” game. It only makes you look worse.

#19 I understand you. There are people that avoid hiring illegals. But you have to accept that there are major corps. hiring illegals.

The behaviour you describe is typical of illegals. They tend to protect their own. But then, who let them in? Illegals hiring illegals alone does not create the huge problem illegal immigration has become.

# 24 Named said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 9:17 am

23 pedro,

” The political exploitation of illegals was done by lefty loons like you.”

You mean the exploitation politically by trying to make them legitimate? Yeah, that’s really wrong. Unfortunately, the Republicans don’t want them politically legal since that makes them economically unfeasible. Hell, even your Lord and Saviour GW Bush wanted to legitimize them…

Open border for business? Check. Open borders for people? Uncheck.

# 25 Nitroneo said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 9:20 am

Knowing the system as the neighbor to one of the highest illegal hiring employers in my county of New York this is how they get away with doing it. These are the words from the owners of the business, along with state and local officials. The business is a huge dairy farm with over 2000-3000 head being milked 24/7.

There are actually services in the US which get these illegal aliens for the farm when they need a new worker. So when one worker gets in trouble with local, state, or federal officials and gets shipped back home, they are often replaced within 24-48 hours.

The farm pays the workers with Walmart Gift Cards in which being a farm they can get tax exempt and as a business expense, not just cash under the table. The employees are given farm vehicles with farm registrations to drive for shopping and buying living supplies. Yep double dipping the system.

The farm has a trailer still on its wheels hooked up behind the barns to the main farm houses septic system and they get their water from garden hoses. Electrical is through extension cords to the farm work shop behind adjacent to the trailer. I checked with the local officials and turns out the farm never applied for any permits for this property upgrade either.

After corresponding with local and state officials who all knew about what is happening up at the farm, they confirmed that they refuse to do anything about it. Their reason was, and I quote, “There is no reason for us to get involved with the operations of a local business until there is a situation that forces our hands into the matter.” In other words they won’t do their jobs until they are forced to.

Needless to say I am sickened by the disgusting behavior of this business owner, which is one of the biggest reasons I have been supportive of a new taxation system such as a fair tax system. It would remove the exemption status of the farm and force the business and the illegals to begin paying fair taxes like the rest of us legal citizens.

# 26 bobbo, keeping my eye on the ball said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 9:29 am

#25–Nitro==good start but you finish by focusing on a fair tax system to access the illegals revenue stream???

Hah, hah. Yea, that was the main thing.

# 27 My3Bits said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 9:39 am

Business Owners are screwing the illegals, what a joke.
The AMERICAN consumer is screwing the business owner.
Who here would pay $10/quart for strawberries that were picked in the USA by a legal citizen, making at least min. wage? Not many, most would buy the $4/quart strawberries from a Central American country paying less to there workers then what illegals get here.

# 28 brm said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 9:40 am

We have no idea what jobs American’s won’t do, because the minimum wage laws make many of them illegal.

Illegal for you to work, because you’re not allowed to accept lower than minimum wage.

# 29 Brian said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 10:11 am

#22 Bobbo

So by telling my story about illegals hiring other illegals I am hiding a ball? Man that is a stretch.

Reading comprehension is a good thing, look into it.

Or is it easier for you just start yelling as usual?

# 30 Named said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 10:11 am

27, Mybits

If only shipping costs were reflected in the cost of the product from foreign markets… wait! They’re all basically slave ships now, aren’t they? No more merchant navies…

# 31 Brian said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 10:12 am

I love how every post here turns into a left vs. right yelling match.

When will you learn they are all on the same team? You waste all your time yelling and miss that both parties have sold us out.

# 32 Named said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 10:22 am

31 Brian,

Don’t you also find it delicious that the whole “right / left” meme is a hold over from the French Revolutionary times?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left-right_politics

# 33 Dennis said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 11:19 am

What about those who OUTSOURCE? Isn’t that in this vein? Or at least similar? Why pay someone $xx.00/hr when you can get the whole project done for $yy.00 in total? Yes, the work is shoddy, and it takes 12days to do the what should take 2, but its less than HALF the cost, and NO Benefits need be given!

# 34 pedro said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 11:33 am

#24 Yeap, fastracking their citizenship in excahnge for votes you didn’t have before. Thanks for confirming this as correct.

#25 Not only the bussiness owner, but the officials that care not about their duty. Fine example of why the problem has scalated to its current proportions

#32 So that’s why your rationale is so dated. No wonder.

# 35 Named said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 11:54 am

34, pedro,

“Yeap, fastracking their citizenship in excahnge for votes you didn’t have before. Thanks for confirming this as correct.”

And they become legitimate members of society and economically unexploitable. What a tragedy! And like I said, your God Bush tried it too…

Sorry you don’t know history. It’s an important subject. You’ll learn a lot by reading it. I don’t you have the capability though. You’re an idiot, afterall…

# 36 pedro said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 12:42 pm

#35 Good to know you support the illegal alien industrial complex. Tell me, how many human trafficking gangs do you directly support?

# 37 Hmeyers said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 12:52 pm

#28 for the win

The minimum wages damages the economy on the very low end, making many industries effectively illegal.

Hence, illegal workers to do work that doesn’t pay high enough.

The catastrophic damage is, however, industries that could be legitimate and require intensive labor go to Mexico due to NAFTA instead of being done in the USA.

Think of the many different manufacturers that have moved to Mexico (GM has plants down there, so does everyone).

The minimum wage is artificial, if you are college educated you wouldn’t be doing a low end job anyway, so the effect of the minimum wage is mostly to drive sub-minimum wage jobs into some other country or make them an illegal immigrant magnet.

“Illegal” jobs don’t pay taxes, by the way.

Nor obviously do the jobs moved to some other country pay taxes to the USA.

# 38 clancys_daddy said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 2:46 pm

Try to find a wastewater or water operator for a small town legal or illegal.

# 39 Hugh Ripper said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 2:49 pm

The American republic was built on slavery. I guess hiring illegals is the next best thing. Some things never change.

# 40 TheBearAk said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 3:08 pm

So how to find a solution to this?

Well, there are two sides. The employer who cannot afford to pay even minimum wage so they look to illegal immigrants that will work for below MW.

Then you have the workers that need to make at least MW to even get by. Plus, even at minimum wage, they can barely get by. So their options are: Work and barely get by or be on welfare and barely get by. Not much incentive to work.

So instead of welfare, why not supplement the employer to be able to hire legally? There has to be some way of doing this that can minimize corruption.

# 41 philgar said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 3:18 pm

The show Dirty Jobs pretty much proves this false. It’s all about the money.

# 42 brm said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 3:23 pm

#37:

Exactly.

The jobs are going to move offshore no matter what, because the labor is cheaper. You can’t stop that.

Which situation is worse:

Completely losing the industry because we don’t like that it’s worth less than $7/hr?

or, keeping it here and letting someone work it for peanuts?

I’d rather keep it here. You know, try to fix our trade deficit and all that.

# 43 pedro said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 3:57 pm

#39 Yeap. And winning elections with illegals is the next big thing.

#47 NAFTA was a great idea, wasn’t it?

# 44 Phydeau said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 5:10 pm

All we need to do to find the culprit is look in the mirror. Americans are always going for the lower price, no matter what. So an honest businessman will be driven out of business by a dishonest one who hires illegals and pays them pennies.

It’s kind of like the war on (some) drugs. As long as there’s a demand for cheap stuff, businesses will hire illegals.

Let’s stop kidding ourselves. If we locked down the border, prices for everything from housing to dining would go up. And we the people would piss and moan and they’d open the borders again.

The system is working exactly like we want it to.

Or prove me wrong: Say, “I want to pay higher prices for the stuff I buy so that we can get rid of illegal aliens.” I have never heard anyone say that.

# 45 deowll said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 5:29 pm

Depends on the situation. A lot of good people have their backs against the wall and will take just about any job they can get.

# 46 Named said, on September 3rd, 2009 at 7:29 pm

36, pedro,

Good to see that your complete lack of comprehension proved me correct yet again. The illegals are in the USA RIGHT NOW. Legitimize them. I guess you and your imagination will just wrinkle your nose and they’ll all magically disappear?

Right. I doubt you’re even IN America, and are probably a smuggler yourself… You don’t want to lose out on a gig…

# 47 pedro said, on September 4th, 2009 at 3:37 am

#46 Why are you putting smugglers down? They’re the ones bringing in your beloved illegals in.

Legitimize my ass, if they want to get in legally, go back home and do it right. Then we can have a talk.

Is nice to see someone like you who is so proud of talking thru your ass.

# 48 ridin the short bus said, on September 4th, 2009 at 3:40 am

I recall reading an article in the paper about the Local McDonalds in West Palm Beach, FL.. Seems they needed to Bus kids and others in to work… No one in the comminity wanted to work for the Normal wages beig offered at the time, this job was not deemed a good enough Job for even the local High School Kids… this may be a isolatd case, but it does prove a point…

So Guess who worked ther?…
I also had the experience back in the 80’s of Entering a McDonalds in Miami, and the manager had to come out to take my order…no one on the front counter speak english..and I sure did not speak Spanish… being a farm Kid from Maine.

# 49 LibertyLover said, on September 4th, 2009 at 6:15 am

#37, You beat me to it.

# 50 Named said, on September 4th, 2009 at 8:07 am

47 pedro,

Like any other idiot Republican, you just imagine you can shake the can and everything goes back to the way it was… you deal with reality, not your fantasies…

But, that is asking too much from you.

# 51 pedro said, on September 4th, 2009 at 9:12 am

#50 You have to thank the idiot repugs that give your beloved illegals work so they can live until you “legitimize” them.

I didn’t know you cared so much for corrupt corps. I guess that makes you an idiot republican, hahahahaha

# 52 Named said, on September 4th, 2009 at 9:51 am

51, pedro,

Whatever the idiots did now has to be rectified. Legitimizing them will protect them AND eliminate the corruption. But, you live in fantasy land where you can just say “Well, if so and so didn’t do so and so, so and so wouldn’t have happened…” You’re the problem, not even CLOSE to part of the solution. Moron.

# 53 Glenn E. said, on September 4th, 2009 at 10:21 am

To paraphrase an imfamous quote. “The Americans are the men who will not do jobs for nothin” AKA below minimum wage, or no wage at all. A lot of these illegal workers get screwed out of a day’s wage. But the work gets done. Horay for America.

# 54 pedro said, on September 4th, 2009 at 10:47 am

#52 I see you like Bush’ amnesty for illegals. Now, who’s the repugblican here?

The more you write, the deeper into your mental mess you go.

# 55 Rick Cain said, on September 6th, 2009 at 6:18 am

As always we blame the wrong people. We should crack down on businesses who hire illegals, not illegals themselves, who invariably are victims when they get paid $2.00 an hour with no health insurance and 12 hour days, but can’t complain to anybody because the business will just fire them and turn them in to immigration.

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