Speech #1030100813

That has not happened. When the maquiladoras were founded about 20 years ago. or about 13 years ago. in 1980. the philosophers told us and the academicians and the theorists who tell us now that NAFTA will work. they told us that when the maquiladoras were well under way two things would happen. First. they said Mexican wages would go up. and then they said illegal immigration will be cut dramatically. because Mexican workers will be making good wages in their own country. We now have 500.000 Mexican workers working in maquiladoras. the twin plants on the south side of the border. What has really happened is that wages have actually gone down since 1980. They have gone down about 30 percent in real buying power. Illegal immigration has skyrocketed. The professors. the academicians. the theorists are back at their table. They say. "This time we really think we are right." One professor.