For the past ten years, I have had Mexican nationals doing everything from cleaning my home (have had the same woman that entire 10 years), landscaping/yard maintenance, small construction projects. It's very much a way of life here. I've heard others compare it to the South and slavery, and no...it's not even close. My housekeeper, while not making the same as probably an American would charge is paid well over minimum wage (@ 12 per hour)...most yard guys charge per job and it's a negotiated price. But around here, even legitimate homebuilders, poolbuilders, landscapers use this source of labor. I have no problem with it. They are hard workers and do a great job most of the time.
My problem with it lies in the other side of the coin....a significant amount of immigrants are not so great. Drugrunning is a monumentous business around here as is crime of other types. Crimes involving illegals make up a huge portion of violent crime here. As does human trafficing (sp?). These people pay huge amounts of money that their families have put together to Coyotes (smuggler) who often dump them in the desert, sell the women into prostitution, etc....
It's a horrific scene. Hundreds die in Arizona alone every year. They are an enormous strain on our state resources from medical care to education, to public service (police/fire). My housekeeper's son buys a new social security card/number on the streets (possibly YOUR social security number) about every 2 years to avoid detection. I heard once that if the census were accurate in Arizona, the illegal population would increase our numbers by 33%.
It's a double edged sword.