Opinion: Want to stop illegal immigration? Build up the Mexican middle class, not a border wall

To the editor: We hear a lot of ridiculous statements these days about what one candidate for president is going to do to stop immigration from Mexico. What he seems to ignore is that the reason most people come here from Mexico is to get a better job than they could at home. (“A manufacturing boom lifts Mexico — and some U.S. workers, despite trade fears,” Aug. 21)

This trend is diminishing on its own for two reasons. First, the birthrate in Mexico over the past 50 years has dropped to almost as low as the birthrate in the United States, so the population is no longer outstripping the country’s ability to develop good jobs.

Second, economic development in Mexico means that more people can find well-paying jobs right at home. Encouraging the emergence of a growing middle class in Mexico is the right way to reduce immigration, not trying to build some wall.

Richard F. Corlin, Santa Monica

..

To the editor: Companies make products abroad because they must. Production, quality, logistics, and suppliers are easier and efficient here, close at hand. But domestic costs mean make abroad or not at all.

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton criticizes her Republican opponent Donald Trump for making clothes abroad, and Trump shrugs his shoulders, as if to say, “What can I do?” Both ignore our plight.

The hourly cost of our labor in wages, healthcare, environmental protection, retirement, government, lifestyle expectations and support for the poor means these jobs will never, ever come back to the U.S. We want higher minimum wages, $40 per hour plus benefits for factory workers, new paid holidays and family leave, and billions to make the environment a bit cleaner.

The world market has told us our hourly productivity is not worth that cost.

Steve Hawes, Sunland

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook