I too worked in the fields 30 years ago when there was a recession....perhaps our present day recession will get Americans back into the fields.  It's not like Americans don't know about these jobs, well, unless they can't see the fields that surround them. I don't think Americans are lazy either, in the last 20 years we've simply have had better options than to have to work in the fields.   Again, that may very well change, with the new recession slamming down on us.

I also worked in the Fields when I was younger. I picked strawberries and grapes among other jobs.

Oh, and the 11% comment is from a recent report on NewsHour with Jim Lehrer (PBS-KCET) and the text can be found at:

http://www.pbs.org/newshour...

Thirty years ago you would have seen plenty of young Americans working in the fields.  I detassled corn in Iowa when I was a young college student.  There were droves of high school and college kids out there every summer.  If farmers want workers, why not talk to high schools and colleges?  I don't think the kids are lazy; I think they'll work if they know about a job. 

Absolutely, I have always said...  "All we need to do is enforce the laws we already have and the immigration problem will SIMPLY go away."  It has always been THAT easy.  Building a fence around our borders like the one Germany tore down is the saddest and most pathetic thing we as Americans can do.  It's sad that we need to resort to the horrible ideas of the past. As Americans we should be better.  Also it is going to be hard dealing with some of the illegals that have been here for several years and have children born here.  McCain (senator of AZ) would like to see some kind of amnesty for them, as President Reagan did, or so he has said.  It will be a long difficult process, but knowing McCain I believe it will be handled in a humane way.  I'm from AZ my family has lived there for over 35 years, if AZ can deal with illegals, all states can.

It is hard for an illegal to believe he/she is doing a terrible and illegal thing when Americans have been paying illegals to cross the river for decades.  Cheap labor was the name of the game in America.  Sure, food prices will go up and so will other service costs.....  And don't tell me Americans (caucasians/blacks/asians) will work out in the fields for the same amount of money as Mexicans are getting now, because I KNOW better,  I watch field workers daily and there are never Americans (caucasians,blacks, asians) in the field even though we desperately need more field workers today, and these jobs are already and always have been open to Americans at minimum wage. Thus, we will always need green-card workers. We will always have a growing population of Mexicans, (which is fine with me, I think Mexicans are good people) but we need to have control over our country. BE Legal, Speak English, and follow our rules and we will welcome you will open arms...otherwise, we will put our foot down.  We simply lost CONTROL of our borders, America's greed has done this.  I hope, we continue to follow our own laws and maintain intelligent  control over our borders (not silly walls that we don't need but costs billions) ....time will tell.

I think America should be FIRM, yet humane.  That is the America I will be proud of.   There isn't a line, not even a fine one, between ignorance and bigotry.

I am not anti-Hispanic or Latino, I am anti-thievery.  If someone snuck into my home and then proceeded to scrub my bathrooms (a job I hate), I would not be grateful.  I would be angry.  Just as I am angry that anyone, from any country, sneaks into my country.  I would be just as angry if they were from Iceland.     

Californiabeso so where's the racist comments? I don't see any racist comments. What I see I see is Illegal aliens complaining because American people are tired of illegals thumbing their nose at our laws and way of life. It is common practice for illegals and supporters of illegals to cry racist when American citizens speak out against the invasion of illegals aliens. It is not a racist issue its a illegal alien problem. If the illegal wouldn't sneak across our border this wouldn't be an issue. But because they do illegally sneak across our border it is them that is making it a racist matter. They will turn it into a racist issue every time because that is how they justify their criminal acts. As an American I have a right to speak out against what I see as one of the biggest problems facing this great country. If you an illegal and you don't like my stance on illegal immigration then go back to your native country.

I am so sick of these RACIST comments!!!  I am scared to even go walking in this town.  My parents were immigrants as im sure alot of other people.  My family struggled but we never never took any assistance from the government.  I am a teacher, my sister is a teacher my brother is a mailman.  We all contribute to taxes and are great citizens.  We are thankful for where we came from.  We dont blame our problems on illegal immigrants.  As I am sure in all scenarios, people seem to take advantage of ANYTHING!!

How do you know that 11% of Mexico's population lives in the US? ...ok take that as a fact, this means that there are about 11 million Mexicans in the US, making up a mere 3.7% (11 of the 300 million people) of the population of the US. Just another way to look at the numbers... 

California "always" functions within it's budget since it's illegal for states to operate in the red. Even without the burden of illegals, I'm sure the politicians would easily find other ways to squander taxpayer money.

11% of Mexico's population lives in the United States.  Think of how much farther Dept. of Education and MediCal dollars would go if we were teaching and treating only our own countrymen.  California may be able to function within its budget!!

I am happy that the law was upheld. True many illegal will come to California but many are returning to their home country. I heard on the radio the other day that some Mexican communities that border Arizona are complaining that because of Arizona's new illegal immigration laws there schools and hospitals are now becoming overcrowded. They are complaining that the law is unfair because it is pushing Mexicans to return to Mexico and because of it they are suffering the effects of Mexicans ''invading'' their communities. ha ha ha

I can only pray that California also passes similar laws targeting employers that hire illegals. If the jobs dry up then the illegals will go home.

Arizona, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Georgia and other states have taking the illegal immigration problem into their own hand.

The Federal government under the Bush administration has sold the American people down the river by not enforcing the immigration laws. Americans are pissed off and they want something done about illegal immigration. The states hear the peoples Cary's and are doing something about it.