We must also recognize the fact that the jobs these people take are Jobs which are rejected by our citizens. Unlike the Mexican people. we have a social net to catch us before we hit the economic rock bottom. The emotional charge that undocumented workers take jobs away from the U.S. workers is unproven. In fact. recent studies indicate the contrary to be true. How many U.S. workers want to pick onions in 1000 heat. or pick apples or work in lowpaying service jobs? Uiifortunately. the answer is very few. In fact. the existence of the lowpaid undocumented worker is a base upon which jobs and products are made available to our economy. I do not think that once the facts are known. our people would begrudge a Mexican neighbor the opportunity to honorably come to our country for a short time in order to earn a wage with which to feed his family. knowing that no willing U.S. citizen has lost a job as a result. As a factfinding device to determine how New Mexicans feel about the possibility of providing a legal means by which Mexican immigrants may come to work temporarily in certain areas where there is a shortage of U.S. workers. I distributed a questionnaire to a crosssection of my constituents regarding a modified foreign worker program. The majority of respondents stressed the fact that foreign workers are essential to many businesses and industries in the Southwest because there are not enough domestic workers who are willing to take the lowskill jobs that are required regardless of pay or other incentives offered.
Identified stereotypes
Unlike the Mexican people, we have a social net to catch us before we hit the economic rock bottom.