Where are the unemployed?

What struck me about this story was NOT the sympathetic light in which the plight of the poor, poor illegal immigrants was shown--that's par for the course anymore. No, what struck me was what came AFTER the 'largest immigration raid in U.S. history:"

Postville has lost more than one-fourth of its pre-raid population of 2,300, including 389 Agriprocessors workers who were detained by immigration officials, and scores more who have fled or gone into hiding.

In their place are newcomers drawn, as they were, by reports of job openings at Agriprocessors, or recruited by labor agencies contracted by the plant. Many of the new workers are Somali men who keep to themselves and gather to share food and coffee at a storefront on Postville's main drag.

Last week, the Iowa Labor Commissioner's Office said an investigation had uncovered 57 cases of child labor law violations at the facility, which has also been cited for numerous safety and health violations.

Without Latino workers, Agriprocessors is still operating at only 50 percent capacity despite efforts to recruit replacement workers, said Chaim Abrahams, the plant manager. Outside the plant, "Now Hiring" signs have been posted along the roadside.

There are already signs of renewal. About 150 Somalis, refugees who live and work legally in this country ((thanks to ever-more generous work visa programs -- Jemison)), have arrived to work at Agriprocessors since the raid. At first, most were single men, but a growing number of women are starting to join them. In the evenings, the long, lanky men in loose fitting clothes and women, swathed in traditional Muslim dresses and hijabs, can often be seen walking from the meatpacking plant to downtown.

Slavery is not dead in this country. It merely wears the Open Borders label. When nearly 400 positions open up due to Uncle Sam making a rare immigration enforcement gesture, you'd think the opportunities would benefit unemployed Americans. Wouldn't it be cheaper than paying unemployment to relocate them to such a place? But no--they will continue to draw benefits from taxpayers, while more foreigners are brought here under the guise of "doing the work Americans won't do." Why is that? Because the foreigners are so happy to simply be here they can be worked halfway to death in conditions and for wages Americans will no longer tolerate.

The solution to this problem isn't necessarily running dragnets through towns like this. It's to permanently revoke the operating license of any business found "accidentally" harboring illegal employees in such numbers. See how fast the Open Borders lobby dries up after that.