Illegal immigrants are more likely than American citizens to hold jobs but less likely to have high school diplomas.

Kurt Greenbaum is having a discussion on his Talk of the Day blog about Immigration. Per Kurt:

Where are you on this issue in the immigration debate? Are we only the land of opportunity for native born residents? Should we worry about foreign students taking “American” jobs? Should we be bothered to worry about a “brain drain” in other countries? Or if we have the opportunities and needs, should we be happy to let foreigners fill them?

Here is my post on the matter:

America is a country of immigrants to it's soul, including Native Americans who came here 35,000 years ago from Asia via the land bridge and the Alaska gateway. We are a stew of nationalities and cultures and what a wonderful stew it is. It is what in the most fundamental sense makes us America. I don't see how any American could be anti-immigration and I think that only a very few Americans are actually anti-immigration. What I do think is that a large majority of Americans believe that "all" immigrants should come to America legally. It's a great mystery to me how somewhere along the way in this discussion being "Pro-Legal Immigration" somehow became "Anti-Immigration". I reject that misrepresentation and diversion on this debate.


Immigrants and legal aliens perform jobs that might not be as highly prized by many American but are never the less very important to the economy and good jobs for first generation immigrants and legal aliens just as they were for all other first generation immigrants before them. It is a win-win for everyone and a positive solution to a labor need as well as inclusion and the continued stew brewing of a country. Just as the European, African, Middle Eastern, Asian and South-North Americans before them, many of today's immigrants work their way up the "American Ladder" starting on the rungs that those before them once occupied before moving up. That is the "American Model" and the opportunity that draws each and everyone immigrant here. Everyone is welcome in my book but you have to come here via the legal process. Want to become an American citizen then go through the legal channels and "Welcome". Want to work here as a legal alien and go back and forth, no problem "Welcome - Take Care - Welcome Back"................

There are 12 Million Illegal people in this country. They should all have the opportunity to become legal citizens or legal and documented aliens. That said they must apply and follow the law as it relates to immigration, or they should be deported. Just because you live in a country on our southern border and your government is not addressing the stifling poverty in your country, that does not mean you receive a different immigration standard and non-enforcement for breaking the immigration laws............

End Talk of the day post-----------------------------

The CNN linked story above had this comment that I thought was slightly strange:

Illegal immigrants are more likely than American citizens to hold jobs but less likely to have high school diplomas.....................

More likely to hold jobs than Americans? What is that stat all about? Are there educated Americans where education alone allows them to not work and live off their education?????? People without high school diplomas have to work no doubt and some Americans with an education turn it into a cash flow without working? Are we talking "trust fund" here CNN or what?