Raising minimum wage a solution to immigration?

So here is an idea that I came across the other day, a solution to illegal immigration is to raise the minimum wage. Many people believe that illegal immigration is a net negative on the economy, (I actually believe the opposite, but for the purposes of this thread I’m looking at it from their point of view). It’s fairly well known that illegal immigrants take a lot of jobs that Americans don’t want due to the low pay. The thought is that if we raise the pay of those jobs enough, legal Americans will actually want to take them thus removing an incentive for people to immigrate in the first place.

So what do you guys think? Would this be an effective plan?

I suppose the problem I see in the logic is that many of the undocumented workers aren't getting paid anywhere near the minimum wage.

This is where I originally heard this argument.

http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2014/03/17/unz-minimum-wage

Another solution is to heavily penalize companies that pay illegals substandard wages.

You seem to believe you have debunked your own argument already. So lets talk about ^^^^. How so?

Do you mean heavily penalize them for just paying illegals substandard wages or for actually hiring them?

I don't understand why anyone would want to immigrate to that dump, but whatever floats your boat I guess.

trollololol

Is illegal immigration all that bad

@dave123321:

As I said, I don't believe so, but there are those who do, and despite the fact that we deport people at record numbers, we are treating a symptom as opposed to implementing solutions.

1. Raise the pay to Americans and illegal immigrants working for less than minimum wage are even more enticing to business owners.

2. Wages aren't the only thing that keeps people from applying to clean shit from toilets, do backbreaking manual labor, or sweat it out in a kitchen (and clean shit from toilets during down time).

3. Higher overall pay in the US makes illegal immigration seem even greater to immigrants because rather than make only $3 an hour, maybe now they can get $5 or $6.

that's what i was thinking. it would put any legal americans that did want those jobs at a disadvantage by widening the pay gap.

I like illegals to stay

Lets finish the fence, snipers every certain number of meters and headshots. After the first few headlines they might get the idea.

This is a terrible, psychotic idea. That will not stop people from coming over. All it will do is send the message that if you're trying to get in, you need to be armed and ready to kill. The drug wars have shown that there are plenty of groups in Mexico that are armed and ready to kill. It would be a god awful idea to provide a reason for illegal immigrants to turn to them for help.

Not to mention the general insanity of executing people for trying to enter the country.

@Senor_Kami: I think he was being sarcastic (hopefully).

OP is filled with a lot of fallacies. There is a negative cost with illegal immigration....which I guess you don't want to believe. Anyway what does raising the minimum wage have to do with this? Unless you want more Americans to lose their job.

OP is filled with a lot of fallacies. There is a negative cost with illegal immigration....which I guess you don't want to believe. Anyway what does raising the minimum wage have to do with this? Unless you want more Americans to lose their job.

Why? I have nothing against any demographic LEGALLY immigrating to the US. I think it's cool how diverse we are....but illegal's cost too much tax payer money. And that is bull shit.

@vfibsux: so they never bought anything with the money that they were paid? Isn't working for a living usually considered contributing to society? I know it is where I live.

Lets just overlook the fact that these individuals ARE BREAKING THE LAW when entering the country, the rule of law is one the pillars of any civilized society, so this is quite a first impression. The fact that some of these individuals have the gall to demand concessions like free tuition or citizenship speaks to how distorted this debate has become.

Agree strongly with thegerg

Happy days

Why care about people doing illegal things. It's foolish

Care about the effects of the act

wouldn't a higher min wage attract illegal immigrants just as much as citizens? are you also proposing strong citizenship testing for employment?

I'm pretty sure most illegals know that min. wage doesn't affect them.

Yo vfib what you described was not one sided

does that mean owned my Mexican citizens, or American citizens who are Mexican?

Yeah vfib you seem to be making some dubious assumptions

more appreciation and agreement for and with thegerg

how do you know all this about what they did vfib

The gerg is right. You have provided evidence that goes against your point

@vfibsux: doesn't that link say the opposite of they pay no taxes

@LJS9502_basic: I have a different viewpoint on the net effects of illegal immigration is what it boils down to

I'm just going to pretend this thread never happened. I was wrong, open up the floodgates, tacos for everyone!

@vfibsux: why did you give a link that didn't say what you said it said

Did you do any research?

And thats where you made the mistake. So here is the thing, ive hired electricians to rewire my house... most the quotes came in at around $100 an hour for labor costs. So thats what i paid, i didnt want to pay that.. i wanted to pay minimum wage, or ideally nothing. But i didnt conclude "americans dont want to be electricians" as a result. Instead i concluded thats the fair market wage and thats what I have to pay to obtain said services.

No he just flipped a coin.