30 days: Illegal immigrants

[Decade]

Normally this would be in the entertainment thread, but since this show is dealing with the illegal immigrant laws I thought this would be a better place.

Theres a reality show on FX now called "30 days" where someone has to do something for 30 days. This time it's a border patrol agent who lives with a family of illegal immigrants for 30 days.


....:rofl:

Hilarious antics aside, he seems pretty adament about not allowing illegal immigrants into the country.

If anyone else has seen this show, what has it made you believe on the subject? While they're showing the trials of illegal immigrant families, im not sure if I changed my mind

[c-rex]

Keep in mind the mastermind who brought you thirty days of illegal immigrants brought you will "thirty days of eating nothing but McDonalds almost kill me?". I saw that movie and was honestly rooting for the McDonalds to do his rear in end (I also walked out thinking, damn I really want some McNuggets) on the grounds it would improve the gene pool.

If he is a border patrol agent and living with illegals shouldn't he have to do his job and arrest them? Taping should have lasted the ten minutes it took him to get them rounded up and into the deportation van.

But sarcastic comments aside I've seen a bit of the show and I have my doubts on how accurate the show is. Spurlock has an agenda and with enough video editting you can make anything happen.

[Black fist]

It already came out, damn I thought it was thursday.

[Mysticalmelody]

My best friend isn't illegal because she was born here but her mom was... Her mom is the sweetest little lady in the world. She doesn't speak english well but she understands almost everything and she always has a huge smile.

I remember in high school my friend started crying at school because her mom was to have her trial for amnesty the following day... If her mom had gotten deported my friend would have had to go with her. Thankfully she was granted amnesty.

My best friend is currently serving in the Marines.

Some people think all illegals should be deported no matter how long they have been here (basically no amnesty no exceptions)

Personally I think the solution really lies in allowing more legal immigration, and stepping up border security.

[blank slate]

I watched the entire show, it was good. The guy was actually a minuteman, not an actual agent. He was actually changed a bit by the experience. He is still a minuteman, but doesn't seem to have the heart to go to the border and call agents on people anymore. I think the part that got him was the fact that he went to Mexico to see the living conditions the family was in before they came to the US, that and the fact that he bonded with the family and actually put a face to the situation. This show is definitely worth seeing.

I have to admit that the one daughter who was going to college was pretty cute.

[haterllnation]

I would rather see "30 Days: Working South of the border" and the quest it takes an American to work in Mexico and a Mexican citizen trying to work here. Either way it's a tough situation, but it would shine a light on how difficult it is to work there legally, too. I want to see this show, but I guess this was a "spoiler" so I pretty much read it. Is this show on its first season?

Did he go back to his post or give up the Minutemen?

[Trump]

If everyone just walked across the border, the living conditions would just follow them. I don't think sensationalist media would change my mind.

[blank slate]

I would rather see "30 Days: Working South of the border" and the quest it takes an American to work in Mexico and a Mexican citizen trying to work here. Either way it's a tough situation, but it would shine a light on how difficult it is to work there legally, too. I want to see this show, but I guess this was a "spoiler" so I pretty much read it. Is this show on its first season?

Did he go back to his post or give up the Minutemen?It is a little bit of a spoiler, but I didn't reveal everything. It's still worth watching if you get the chance. Also, he is still a minuteman, he just doesn't go down to the border to try and catch people anymore. I also left out a VERY important detail about the guy, but I'll just let you watch the show for yourself to find out. Don't want to be putting out anymore spoilers.


If everyone just walked across the border, the living conditions would just follow them. I don't think sensationalist media would change my mind.Not everyone in Mexico wants to come here. The Dad himself didn't want to come to the US. The only reason he did was because the situation was so bad, that he had no choice but to come.

[Decade]

By the way, if the guy was making less than 15k a year for his family, how was his daughter able to play golf all the time?

Not critizing, but I wonder if they actually addressed that.

[Mysticalmelody]

She probably golfed through school. Maybe she herself works. My best friend worked while she was in school at a bowling alley to help her mother pay rent. She failed math and had to drop out of a special program because she needed to work for her family.

You know if they were all made legal .. if they were expected to pay taxes... if the companies who tried to pay them below minimum wage were forced to pay them more, and if they were allowed to legally own businesses and such. It wouldn't take more jobs, It would give them better pay for the jobs they have. Likewise they would have more money to spend and taxes to pay. Why is there reason to think the economy would fall because of new workers who are simultaneously becoming larger consumers? We're really just doing ourselves in by not allowing them to be part of the system.

The reason mexico is so bad isn't because of the mexican people. It's because their government is horrible. The education system isn't great. They have no minimum wage and there is a lot of outsourcing done by US companies. The system over there just leeches the labor from the poor, keeps them poor and gives all the money to the already rich. So many problems over there I really couldn't cover them all. Really there's room for more legal citizens in america. There isn't room for illegals though. If you lived in the conditions these people lived in in Mexico, you'd jump the fence too.

A studio apartment with 6 people living in it, no heating or air, no TV, no computer, no shopping sprees, is much buch better than 3 1/2 walls with half a roof and a dirt floor, getting water from a nasty well by hose and unable to feed your family with your wages. Their living conditions by coming to america become liveable.

[Decade]

You know if they were all made legal .. if they were expected to pay taxes... if the companies who tried to pay them below minimum wage were forced to pay them more, and if they were allowed to legally own businesses and such. It wouldn't take more jobs, It would give them better pay for the jobs they have. Likewise they would have more money to spend and taxes to pay. Why is there reason to think the economy would fall because of new workers who are simultaneously becoming larger consumers? We're really just doing ourselves in by not allowing them to be part of the system.

If they were made legal, yes, but they came in through illegal means and are making their money without paying any taxes on it (while yes, they are making a horribly small amount). However, why should Americans who live here legally have to pay taxes while illegal immigrants come in and not have to? That's one of the big issues about it.

Besides, I don't think anybody would watch the show and say that that family shouldn't at least try to come to the US, but they should do it through legal means and that's what the minuteman was saying even at the end of the show.

"I understand now why you wanted to come here, but I still think you should do it through legal means."

But you seem to have the same opinion as he does and I do, so theres no disagreement I got with you, just points to add on to what you made.

[SoulPlay]

Personally I think the solution really lies in allowing more legal immigration, and stepping up border security.

QFT.........

[Mysticalmelody]

If they were made legal, yes, but they came in through illegal means and are making their money without paying any taxes on it (while yes, they are making a horribly small amount). However, why should Americans who live here legally have to pay taxes while illegal immigrants come in and not have to? That's one of the big issues about it.

Besides, I don't think anybody would watch the show and say that that family shouldn't at least try to come to the US, but they should do it through legal means and that's what the minuteman was saying even at the end of the show.

"I understand now why you wanted to come here, but I still think you should do it through legal means."

But you seem to have the same opinion as he does and I do, so theres no disagreement I got with you, just points to add on to what you made.

Illegals only don't pay taxes because they can't afford to. Because they're illegal employers get away with paying them miniscule amounts. Also, because they're illegal many of the benefits that are paid for by tax money they don't get. Why should they pay taxes when they get paid $3 an hour, can't vote, and have no access to funding for education, etc? I've never met an illegal family who's actions could ever be considered exploiting America. America is exploiting them by never letting them become full citizens. They aren't here to try and mooch off of everyone, they just want a normal life. They just want to make it.

They don't pay taxes so.... Let them be legal, and let the IRS audit them periodically like anyone else. Have their businesses reviewed and let them be in unions so they can get the pay they deserve for their hard work.

Also.... I agree the best thing would be if they could be legal from the start... but that's impossible for the families that really need to come here. The families that could afford the proper processes and documentation, are pretty well off in mexico.

[Decade]

But that doesn't provide a firm, stable policy for the US.

There are millions of people around the world who apply legally every year to get in and don't. If the US suddenly goes "Ok, all's forgotten, we'll make you all legal" there would be a reflux around the world going "Why THEM and not US when we been trying LEGALLY ALL ALONG??" Border Patrol Police would have a field day with a massive influx of illegals, countries around the world would condemn the US's immigration policies, and the cluster fuck goes on.

Unfortunately, while most of these people probably do need to come here to have better lives, they can't be accepted for these reasons since they came in illegally rather than legally. At the end of the show, the Minuteman came to this conclusion and I agree with it. While they put a face on the problem for the guy it's understandable why he feels he can't be the one to catch illegals in person, but he still feels it needs to be done.

Truth of the matter is, he's right.

[Angelyne]

I'm looking forward to the episode this season where a downsized US worker takes a job at a call center in India.

[Lea]

Darn, I saw the commerical for this. I want to see it. D:

[Mysticalmelody]

Good point decade.

[Decade]

I'm wondering what the point of the guy going to India for 30 days to get his job back is?

That he sees a bunch of Indian people are able to work and provide for themselves and their families?

That the Indian's see a working stiff from the States get screwed because of them?

Teach a white guy that Vishnu is a transvestite?

:meh: There are some ideas that are good, there are some that have to make you wonder what's the bloody point.

[Angelyne]

I think the overall point is to show that the Indian workers don't deserve to be demonized for taking outsourced jobs since they have the same goals that we do (taking care of family, staying out of poverty).

[Decade]

I think the general concensus is that people don't blame Indian's for taking their jobs away, they blame the companies.

Still, while I see your point, I don't think this is enough to make a show about it. Basically I think this is just an episode to satisfy all the people who this happened to by sending one of them over there. But again, what's the point? The guy wont get his job back for good, the Indian's will still get hired 10:1 for the same pay, and the problem isn't actually solved or given a decent solution to look at.

In the end, the creator is doing it just to show something controversial and get attention for it, a media-whore.

[Trump]

Media-whore ... Sounds about right. Then again, look what channel it is on.