>My brother-in-law has a couple of businesses in which all who work for him are subcontractors. Painting and constructions. His direct competition is other companies hiring illegals undercutting the bids for jobs. I know a few illegals now - most people do. Of those I know, most have sent over 25,000.00 home to their families in Mexico. They all live here in the U.S. in a single home - 14 of them. They all make enough to pay taxes but none do. They live in a 'bare-bones' existence (I consider it almost squallor) and send their $ home to Mexico.

Had such a team in the neighborhood, but these guys were even living in luxury, only five of them in a two bedroom/two bathroom apartment with A/C. A van would come at about 7AM to pick them up, and they'd return at 7PM. Saturdays too, but not Sundays. Don't know whether they were legal - met them in person only when I was shovelling snow, and they borrowed the shovel. Couldn't even understand that it wasn't my shovel, that I got it from the leasing office, so they insisted on returning it to me, and I had to walk to the office again to return it :).

And this "I'll live poor and send all my money home" is the usual attitude of the Gastarbeiter. It's a common phenomenon - these guys go where they can find work to feed their families.