[swiftisthebest]

Hey, you know that lazy generation of kids coming through college right now without any experience actually holding a job? What if, bear with me here, what if, instead of illegal immigrants from all over the world who can work for less than minimum wage (because they're already breaking the law by working here in the first place), what if instead of illegal immigrants taking those jobs, American youth actually held jobs and got experience working? Wouldn't that be nuts? Oh you probably think Americans don't want those jobs, right? They don't. At least, not for less than minimum wage, because that's illegal and nobody wants to have that on their record. But teenagers definitely want money. Everybody does.

Imagine a world where there is ZERO illegal immigration to the US. Teenagers actually might learn the value of hard work. They might go to college with a strong work ethic and marketable skills. We might just be able to dig ourselves out of this massive college debt crisis.

[mcnees287]

You assume available jobs are located near where teenagers live? In many cases the jobs are located in remote areas with small populations (most agricultural work).

Also, I want mine and your teenagers to be studying and preparing for their futures. These are jobs with limited upside, for the most part.

[swiftisthebest]

Your concept of who illegal immigrants are and what they do is completely fabricated by media influences whose incentives are not your own. It is false. See here: http://www.pewhispanic.org/2015/03/26/chapter-1-occupations-...

Learning discipline and the value of hard work is infinitely more important than learning things that are easily Googlable in out-dated high school curriculums.

[yummyfajitas]

These jobs aren't located near where Mexicans live either - they are actually on the wrong side of a heavily policed border in an entirely different country.

[taneq]

I'm not sure I agree with the whole chain of logic, but at this point is seems fair to point out that the Mexicans aren't enrolled at a university that requires them to turn up for classes.

[smileysteve]

In Georgia, we implemented immigration laws and neither the juveniles or prisoners would pick crops for both minimum wage and reduced sentences.

[wushupork]

And that's the issue. Immigrants gladly do the work that Americans won't do.

[JaphyRyder]

The OP probably meant summer jobs. I worked on farms and cut grass at a country club no where near my house. Saved enough money to buy my first computer and teach myself some code. I was hired because I spoke Spanish (took it in middle/high school) and could translate.

[melling]

There's no need to assume anything because the article states the kind of workers needed: "hospitality, construction and agriculture, "

Agriculture is mentioned, of course, but it's seasonal. Two months out of the year? What jobs do you do for the other 10 months?

[merpnderp]

When I was a kid I did pipeline work during summer breaks. Lots of kids are out of school during harvest season, one of the major reasons for kids even having school breaks.

[an_cap]

Imagine if we lived in a world in which all forms of discrimination based on circumstances at birth was considered beyond the pale. Or conversely, a world in which it was okay to say about blacks what we say about foreigners. For instance, would this be okay?

"Hey, you know that lazy generation of kids coming through college right now without any experience actually holding a job? What if, bear with me here, what if, instead of black people from all over the country who can work for less than minimum wage (because they're already breaking the law by working in whites only jobs in the first place), what if instead of black people taking those jobs, white youth actually held jobs and got experience working? Wouldn't that be nuts? Oh you probably think white people don't want those jobs, right? They don't. At least, not for less than minimum wage, because that's illegal and nobody wants to have that on their record. But white teenagers definitely want money. Everybody does. Imagine a world where there is ZERO black workers in whites only occupations. Teenagers actually might learn the value of hard work. They might go to college with a strong work ethic and marketable skills. We might just be able to dig ourselves out of this massive college debt crisis."

If it were illegal for blacks to work some jobs (as it once was in a not-too distant past in a not-so-far-away place) wouldn't the appropriate response be to make it legal for them to compete with whites for said jobs

[throwaway7312]

I think this is a great idea.

I suggest China, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Africa start first. As soon as China opens its borders to anyone who wants to go in and make lots of money there, and Saudi Arabia does so, and Israel does so, and Africa opens its borders to anyone who wants to go and tap into its natural resources, we should think about maybe doing the same here too.

As it stands, we already have a lot of illegal immigrants already, so let's let these other places take the lead first and we'll catch up with them later.

[fmatthew5876]

White American kids don't want these jobs. "We're a nice white family and our kids deserve to go to college". Especially for people coming from marginal backgrounds, sending your kids to college is seen as an achievement and part of the American Dream. High class successful people go to college and low class losers go to work out of high school. Those dirty jobs are for "other" people, not us.

How many of your friends would be happy if their kids became an electrician, plumber, fire fighter, or police officer? These jobs can pay well but nobody wants to do them. You don't need an expensive college degree either, just vocational training. Thats much better than your starbucks barista with 60k student loan debt on her photography degree.

Not everyone needs to go to college. In fact I think it would be better if we killed the stigma against the trades and integrated vocational paths with public high schools. College is academia, and its only relevant if you're going into the sciences or some other highly technical skilled arena or the arts. Sorry but not all of your children are special and gifted.

To many kids going to college, getting expensive useless degrees, and then having little job prospects and a load of student debt. Not to mention the increased demand these people bring inflates college tuition for everyone else.

[Spooky23]

You're spot on.

I worked on a farm from 12-17. Not an option for a non-Mexican for the last 15 years or so.

[mcguire]

"...work for less than minimum wage..."

Source?

(Paying your employees less than minimum wage is going to make your tax records look funny.)

[mcguire]

No, really, does anyone have a source that says that most/many/a significant fraction of undocumented workers are paid less than the minimum wage?