by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright November 4, 2007
All Rights Reserved.

hen hell-on-earth swept Southern California in late October with devastating wildfires, the anti-immigration crowd was strangely mute while undocumented workers joined fire fighters in the life-or-death struggle against the worst of Mother Nature. No one asked for the IDs of undocumented workers joining firefighters in the overwhelming job of controlling the inferno in the Southland. Gale-force Santa Ana winds made firefighting a nightmare, where local, country and state resources were stretched to the breaking point. No one complained about how many illegal aliens helped save property, while the California National Guard sat on the border. A 2006 report by the U.S. Forest Service Inspector General indicated that as many as 5,000 illegal immigrants help fight fires around the Pacific Northwest. Countless others help firefighting in Southern California.

      For decades, migrant workers from Latin America have been streaming across the border seeking work. Since the late President Ronald Reagan's 1987 immigration reform, the federal government looked the other way while American businesses exploited a steady flow of cheap labor. More recently, President George W. Bush joined Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) to push for a new “guest workers program,” essentially granting amnesty to an estimated 12-20 million undocumented workers currently living in the U.S. Whether they drain local, state or federal resources, illegal immigrants provide an indispensable quid-pro-quo. “I don't think it's in anybody's interest, including the Forest Service, to enforce immigration—they're benefiting from it,” said Blanca Escobeda, owner of 3B's Forest Service in Medford, Ore., paying workers between $10-15 an hour.

      Recent California wildfires burnt to the ground around 1,700 structures, creating staggering costs for the nation's property-casualty insurers. Damage estimates range between $2-3 billion, far less than hurricane Andrew and Katrina, whose combined losses totaled more than $30 billion. “Today I've signed a major declaration which will then enable federal funds to start headed towards the families who have been affected by these fires,” Bush declared Oct. 24. When disasters strike, any and all resources are welcomed, whether or not workers have legal status. Insurance companies rely heavily on contractors and construction companies that depend heavily on illegal immigrants for labor. If they relied only on union workers, construction costs would run three-four times the price, far exceeding the damage limits on homeowners' policies. Insurers, homeowners and businesses don't check IDs.

      Opponents to immigration reform don't object to using undocumented workers when it comes to rebuilding their own homes and businesses. They don't ask for IDs when they dine at restaurants, go to car washes or get help cleaning their homes and businesses. “They show me documents and ID—that's good enough for me,” said Jose Orozco, who runs two fire companies of mostly Mexican workers from Sheridan, Ore. Construction companies in California and elsewhere have heavy demands to keep costs under control. With insurers hammering contractors on damage estimates—whether in residential or commercial construction or auto-body repair—the system is set up to employ undocumented workers. Insurers would be bankrupt if the vast undocumented labor pool dried up. Whether farm-laborers, meatpackers or construction workers, cost is always a factor.

      Last week's Democratic debate raised more controversy about the U.S. illegal immigration, debating whether to grant undocumented workers driver licenses. Democratic front-runner Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) was criticized, caught flat-footed, unwilling to commit. While she supported New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer's plan to issue licenses, she refused to endorse the practice. Spitzer, and other officials supporting issuing drivers licenses, believe it protects public safety to have all drivers pass driving tests and hold liability insurance. Opponents, like N.Y. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, believe giving licenses to illegal aliens compromises homeland security. Sen. Clinton supports Bush's immigration reform, essentially granting amnesty to 12-20 million illegal aliens. Whether for or against immigration reform, it's undeniable that undocumented workers are an essential piece of the U.S. labor pool.

      When disaster strikes, it becomes obvious that the U.S. depends heavily on illegal aliens for emergency management and eventual reconstruction. No one complains when illegal aliens assist firefighters or eventually help reconstruct homes and businesses. No homeowner or business can afford to pay the premiums needed to repair homes or cars wtih union workers. Nor can property-casualty companies pay exorbitant estimates based on labor rates from union laborers. With a rising population and growing demands on agriculture, construction and service sector, industry relies on the vast pool of undocumented aliens to get the job done. No homeowner, business or consumer could afford to pay high-priced union labor. While there's nothing wrong with immigration reform, the current system allows illegal immigrants to earn a living while helping American business stay afloat.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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