Illegal Immigrants And The Privileged American Underclass

      There is a safety net for Americans. It may be an inadequate, less than ideal safety net, but it is there nonetheless. For many of the poor in the world that are not American citizens, no safety net exists. For them, unlike those in the American underclass, no money means no medical care, no access to an adequate diet that prevents disease and malnutrition, no education at all, inadequate or no housing or shelter, no dental care, no access to pharmaceuticals when needed. No money, no doctor, no medicine, even if it means dying. Millions in the third world live in one room flimsy shacks at best with a mud floor, and without electricity, running water, or proper sanitation.
       Like it or not, the dysfunctional, unreformed (despite claims as to otherwise) costly American social welfare state has helped create a privileged American underclass.
       Few if any Americans, from the privileged underclass to the super privileged upper class, are willing to do the hard labor, difficult jobs that illegal immigrants perform. Illegal immigrants have no safety net or protections. They are often exploited and taken advantage of. If this is the population the Trump administration, or any administration, chooses to go after, it will hurt the United States economy. Decent, hard working people at the bottom performing essential jobs will be punished. Rather than make things better, it will only make things worse. It is not hard to deport the criminals amongst the illegal immigrant population, who represent a small percentage and are not reflective of the overwhelming majority of hardworking, honest illegal immigrants. Going after illegal immigrants that are honest, decent ,hardworking folks plays well to some not so hard working people's worst instincts, but it is not sound policy economically or in any other way.