Why Are "They" Stealing Our Jobs?

Immigration is a controversial issue.
Here's some perspective: Why don't they just immigrate the legal way?

In a nutshell, before 1884, there was no immigration policy in this country. Anyone could pretty much just come in. That's when my great great great grandparents waltzed in off the boat. "Cool. We're in America now." Of course it wasn't all that easy. But, they didn't have to get green cards. They got here, and they were pretty much IN.

After 1884, the US decided we didn't want people from China here unless they could work, despite the fact that many Chinese Americans had just helped to build the transcontinental railroad about 20 years before.

After that, still pretty much anyone else could get in until 1924 for free! Some more restrictions were added then, and in 1965 the borders closed in a bigger way.

Many immigrants today who come from Mexico and Latin America are seeking a way out of poverty, just like the immigrants who came from Ireland, Germany and other European countries a century before. Some people phrase this searching for an escape from poverty as stealing our jobs.

Here's what Stephen Colbert had to say on working as a migrant farmer.

Working as a migrant worker is very difficult, and the pay isn't so great, but many recent immigrants, legal and illegal are willing to do the work so that their children will have a chance at a good life.