I am an Ashkenazi Jew myself. My paternal biological grandfather and grandmother, father, aunts and uncles all emigrated to the US in 1912 from Ukraine. As far as I know, they boarded a ship and disembarked at Ellis Island. Perhaps they were just the lucky ones. I have no doubt that there were restrictions upon others and at other times. Even though they were allowed entry, they were still unwecome and subjected to antisemitism.
Follow the money. This is business. Who are the 2 largest private prison companies in the country? Both have donated significant money to Trump and have ties to him and his regime. Their business interests neatly align with Trump's goals. In the near past, Homan and Bondi were working indirectly for one of the prison companies. The immigrants are being used to make money.
I am not sure that ICE even got involved in violent criminal, I haven't heard of ICE going into areas with criminal/gang activities. I heard (hear say) that they avoid these area.
Your idea that amnesty would be better is a short term humanistic view which ignores the longer term consequences of amnesty. Amnesty offers hope to future border crossers that if they come and wait they too will get amnesty. Deportation sends the message that you could be here a few years, but eventually you will be deported so don't even try.
In my view, the border would need to be secured in both directions. We need to stop people from entering illegally and we also need to stop the flow of weapons from the US into Mexico. The US is driving the problem on both sides of the border. Why do we have illegal immigration anyway?
Many Mexicans would prefer to enter the U.S. legally if they could—but there are several structural, legal, and economic reasons why nonimmigrant work visas are not broadly accessible to them, especially for low-skilled or seasonal labor. Here's a breakdown:
Limited Number of Work Visas
H-2A (agricultural) and H-2B (non-agricultural) visas are the only nonimmigrant work visas widely available to low-skilled Mexican workers.
H-2B visas are capped at 66,000 per year (divided between winter and summer seasons). This is a tiny number compared to demand.
H-2A visas (for farm workers) are uncapped, but employers must prove:
They couldn’t find U.S. workers.
They will provide housing and meet wage rules—making it costly and bureaucratic.
Employer-Driven Process
Mexicans can’t apply on their own. A U.S. employer must file paperwork, prove a job shortage, and sponsor each worker.
Many U.S. employers avoid the system because:
It’s slow (can take months).
It’s expensive (legal and filing fees).
They worry about compliance or prefer undocumented labor for cost and control.
No Visa Path for Long-Term Low-Skill Work
If a Mexican wants to work as a cleaner, roofer, or restaurant worker, there is no standard visa for that—even though the U.S. labor market needs it.
The H-2B visa doesn’t cover most year-round or urban jobs.
The H-1B visa (high-skill) is not available to most low-income workers.
Legal Immigration Wait Times Are Decades Long
If a Mexican applies for a green card through a family member, the wait can be 20+ years, especially for siblings or adult children of U.S. citizens.
There is no general “line” to apply to work or live in the U.S. legally unless one qualifies for a very specific path (e.g., high-skilled, family-sponsored, lottery).
Push & Pull Factors
Push factors in Mexico: poverty, violence, corruption, lack of opportunity.
Pull factors in the U.S.: higher wages, jobs available, family already here.
When legal options are limited or nonexistent, people take risks.
Summary
Mexicans are not getting nonimmigrant work visas in large numbers because:
The visas are capped, limited in scope, and employer-driven.
The US
Most U.S. jobs that attract Mexican migrants don’t have a legal visa option.
The legal immigration system for low-skilled or poor migrants is basically closed.
So you see, we created the problem, then we vilify, criminalize and abuse the very people we encouraged to enter illegally.
That is a very detailed description of the problems. You obviously have a lot of information on this.
America is a much richer society than Mexico. America still has economic activity that is unprofitable and which can only be carried out by breaking the law to bring in people who will work cheaply.
Is the best approach one of ignoring the law, having people living precariously and potentially subject to abuse and once every so many years granting amnesty to legalise previous waves while encouraging more law breaking?
Or should it change the law?
Or should it abandon uneconomic activity & instead import the food from places that have lower costs? Or is California etc especially good for agriculture? (I think it lacks water as well as labour)
Should we abandon the concept of borders or nations? Should we have laws, but ignore them?
we need a complete overhaul of the immigration sytem. the central valley of california feeds the country. we need migrant workers. we are causing the probem.
Have you checked your claim that America welcomed Jews fleeing death?
Not what I have read.
Wasn't there a refugee ship, I can't remember the name, that was refused landing in New York and which took them back to Europe?
Weren't there restrictive immigration laws from just after WW1 that prevented Jewish refugees entering America?
Didn't Truman ignore those laws to allow (by executive order) some 90,000 in after WW2?
Didn't congress then tighten the laws to prevent more coming in?
Didn't the US get to pick who would be allowed in and didn't they favour white Christians including known Nazis while rejecting Jews?
Those are my memories from what I have read on the subject, but I could be wrong.
Have you checked?
I am an Ashkenazi Jew myself. My paternal biological grandfather and grandmother, father, aunts and uncles all emigrated to the US in 1912 from Ukraine. As far as I know, they boarded a ship and disembarked at Ellis Island. Perhaps they were just the lucky ones. I have no doubt that there were restrictions upon others and at other times. Even though they were allowed entry, they were still unwecome and subjected to antisemitism.
Follow the money. This is business. Who are the 2 largest private prison companies in the country? Both have donated significant money to Trump and have ties to him and his regime. Their business interests neatly align with Trump's goals. In the near past, Homan and Bondi were working indirectly for one of the prison companies. The immigrants are being used to make money.
Too true. IMO, ordinary mean-spirited racism from many members of the public is also a major factor that allows these grifters to get away with this.
Good piece
I am not sure that ICE even got involved in violent criminal, I haven't heard of ICE going into areas with criminal/gang activities. I heard (hear say) that they avoid these area.
Your idea that amnesty would be better is a short term humanistic view which ignores the longer term consequences of amnesty. Amnesty offers hope to future border crossers that if they come and wait they too will get amnesty. Deportation sends the message that you could be here a few years, but eventually you will be deported so don't even try.
In my view, the border would need to be secured in both directions. We need to stop people from entering illegally and we also need to stop the flow of weapons from the US into Mexico. The US is driving the problem on both sides of the border. Why do we have illegal immigration anyway?
Many Mexicans would prefer to enter the U.S. legally if they could—but there are several structural, legal, and economic reasons why nonimmigrant work visas are not broadly accessible to them, especially for low-skilled or seasonal labor. Here's a breakdown:
Limited Number of Work Visas
H-2A (agricultural) and H-2B (non-agricultural) visas are the only nonimmigrant work visas widely available to low-skilled Mexican workers.
H-2B visas are capped at 66,000 per year (divided between winter and summer seasons). This is a tiny number compared to demand.
H-2A visas (for farm workers) are uncapped, but employers must prove:
They couldn’t find U.S. workers.
They will provide housing and meet wage rules—making it costly and bureaucratic.
Employer-Driven Process
Mexicans can’t apply on their own. A U.S. employer must file paperwork, prove a job shortage, and sponsor each worker.
Many U.S. employers avoid the system because:
It’s slow (can take months).
It’s expensive (legal and filing fees).
They worry about compliance or prefer undocumented labor for cost and control.
No Visa Path for Long-Term Low-Skill Work
If a Mexican wants to work as a cleaner, roofer, or restaurant worker, there is no standard visa for that—even though the U.S. labor market needs it.
The H-2B visa doesn’t cover most year-round or urban jobs.
The H-1B visa (high-skill) is not available to most low-income workers.
Legal Immigration Wait Times Are Decades Long
If a Mexican applies for a green card through a family member, the wait can be 20+ years, especially for siblings or adult children of U.S. citizens.
There is no general “line” to apply to work or live in the U.S. legally unless one qualifies for a very specific path (e.g., high-skilled, family-sponsored, lottery).
Push & Pull Factors
Push factors in Mexico: poverty, violence, corruption, lack of opportunity.
Pull factors in the U.S.: higher wages, jobs available, family already here.
When legal options are limited or nonexistent, people take risks.
Summary
Mexicans are not getting nonimmigrant work visas in large numbers because:
The visas are capped, limited in scope, and employer-driven.
The US
Most U.S. jobs that attract Mexican migrants don’t have a legal visa option.
The legal immigration system for low-skilled or poor migrants is basically closed.
So you see, we created the problem, then we vilify, criminalize and abuse the very people we encouraged to enter illegally.
That is a very detailed description of the problems. You obviously have a lot of information on this.
America is a much richer society than Mexico. America still has economic activity that is unprofitable and which can only be carried out by breaking the law to bring in people who will work cheaply.
Is the best approach one of ignoring the law, having people living precariously and potentially subject to abuse and once every so many years granting amnesty to legalise previous waves while encouraging more law breaking?
Or should it change the law?
Or should it abandon uneconomic activity & instead import the food from places that have lower costs? Or is California etc especially good for agriculture? (I think it lacks water as well as labour)
Should we abandon the concept of borders or nations? Should we have laws, but ignore them?
Big topics
we need a complete overhaul of the immigration sytem. the central valley of california feeds the country. we need migrant workers. we are causing the probem.