San Bernardino (CA) County Sun: Free trade, illegal workers share result

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Free trade, illegal workers share result

Mason Stockstill, Staff Writer
San Bernardino County Sun
10/31/05

Widespread illegal immigration and free-trade agreements can share one consequence: loss of job opportunities and depressed wages for U.S. workers in certain sectors.

So why do many politicians support policies that seem to favor one of these phenomena over the other?

Whatever the amount, or the ancillary economic effects, many of the jobs staffed by illegal immigrants would otherwise be filled by U.S. workers. Additionally, some say free-trade agreements have led to a decline in manufacturing jobs in this country, as businesses take advantage of low-wage labor available overseas.

At the same time, many see no contradiction in supporting free-trade agreements while working to limit illegal immigration. Rep. David Dreier, R-Glendora, said the North American Free Trade Agreement did not exacerbate the movement of U.S. jobs to Mexico, although many jobs have gone south of the border since the legislation was signed in 1993.

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Between 1994 and 2000, More than 500,000 U.S. workers applied for assistance from a government program intended to help those who lost jobs when factories moved to Mexico under NAFTA.

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http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_3165401