Believe In America.com

butterbean · Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 2269

DES MOINES, Iowa -- It's estimated there are millions of illegal immigrants living and working in the U.S.

Opponents against illegal immigration argue that it destroys the economy by reducing wages and taking jobs.

Joe Bishop, who has been contractor for 26 years, said illegal immigrants are taking all the jobs and leaving people like him out of work.

On Dec. 12, federal agents raided the Swift & Co. meatpacking plant in Marshalltown as part of an illegal immigration crackdown that spanned six states. It also sparked debate in central Iowa from both sides of the issue.

Rosa Morales De Gonzalez is the head of Perry L.I.N.K., an organization that connects residents of Perry with Hispanic immigrants.

She said getting a job -- no matter what that job may be -- is the reason immigrants come to Iowa.
"If they are going to have a better future and a better life, it's worth it," she said.

Many who come to central Iowa from other countries obtain jobs the legal way, but many do not.

"The reason I know that is I've green-carded them myself and they say, 'No, I don't understand English. No, we don't have a green card,'" De Gonzalez said.

Bishop said he's stuck at home because he can't find work.

"Every time I try to get a job, there's no jobs to be had because they're all taken by the illegal Mexicans," he said.

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http://www.kcci.com/news/11032490/detail.html