Modern day slavery: How immigration laws lure and trap undocumented workers

Laz Ayala on the Hill laments the exploitation of undocumented workers:

“Let’s cut to the chase and call undocumented immigration what it is: modern-day slavery. The flow of undocumented immigrants into the U.S. exists by design, not because of poor border security. Our laws are designed to lure undocumented workers into the country with the prospect of loosely regulated employment (aka a job waiting for them once they arrive). These workers are then exploited while the employers are not held accountable for illegally hiring them.

Once in the U.S., they are trapped, separated from their families here and abroad, taxed without representation or benefits, have no voice or vote, are criminalized, dehumanized, and exploited for economic and political gain. As if that were not enough, they are villainized and persecuted by law enforcement and civilian militias and incarcerated in for-profit detention facilities. Ask yourself, if this is not systemic oppression that compares to modern-day slavery, then what is?”

His “simple” solution:  ” reforming our guest worker programs to meet the labor needs of our economy.”  Some have argued, however, (and here) that guest worker programs result in the exploitation of the “guests.”

KJ