Yesterday the Washington Times top headline read “U.S. economy losing jobs” and these lines jumped out at me in light of all the other things we are reading and reporting on here lately.

Revisions by the department also showed that the economy created 376,000 fewer jobs during 2007 than originally reported. The total of 1.14 million new jobs was less than 100,000 a month — not enough to keep pace with the growth in population and job seekers. As a result, the unemployment rate rose from a low of 4.6 percent to 4.9 percent last month.

“–not enough to keep pace with the growth in population and job seekers.”    The Center for Immigration Studies has reported the increase in US population is completely a function of immigration.   Then why on earth are we bringing more foreign labor?

A few days ago we reported that 100 Nepalese workers are missing from Huntsville, Alabama where they had been brought to the US by a large company and had just literally disappeared into the woodwork of America.  But note in this article they were working 12 hours shifts and taking home $88 and recently the number of shifts had declined for them.   Cinram Corp. thinks they just packed up and went back to Nepal.  You would have to have worked an awful many weeks to afford a return ticket to Nepal.

Then there is Emporia, KS the city that is now in a state of mourning because 1500 Tyson’s Food workers have been sent packing too.   

It was a grim picture at Emporia Presbyterian Church on Friday morning as more than 200 people — Tyson workers and their families — packed the church for a meeting to address some of their concerns and learn about what help is available for them.

Most of those attending were foreign workers who will need translation help to apply for unemployment, if they are here legally.    No documents and you are out in the cold.

Some audience members were concerned about what to do if they don’t have legal documentation. Workers without documentation are not eligible for unemployment.

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“You need to ask Tyson to help out,” Rios said

The list goes on!   Recently I wrote about the poor job prospects in Michigan for refugees.   But, look at this article on REAL ID from the Detroit News.     Apparently Michigan has so many foreign workers its economy will suffer further if those workers cannot get driver licenses easily.

Archer, an attorney whose law firm represents the Japanese Consulate, said those harmed include 10,000 Japanese citizens, working up to seven years apiece at more than 400 in-state Japanese firms.

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“It will disrupt business and cause problems at a time when we want to bring more business to Michigan,” Archer said.

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Officials of the Michigan Economic Development Corp. said foreign investment in Michigan is at risk if the fix-it bills aren’t enacted.

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The agency is working with firms in nine countries representing $300 million in investment and 3,100 jobs, they said.

Testifying at the hearings the director of a refugee agency in Lansing says that finding jobs for refuguees would be difficult if REAL ID is implemented.  But, as we pointed out it’s already a problem for refugees in Michigan to find work.

Shirin Timms, director of the nonprofit Refugee Center in Lansing, said Michigan is a top “resettlement state” for those escaping strife in other lands, who are here legally but now can’t get licenses and IDs that will help them land jobs.

So, back to my original question, are we nuts?   We will bring 70,000 additional low skilled workers to the US in the Refugee Resettlement Program this fiscal year!  And, that is just one of many immigration programs; it’s no wonder we can never defeat poverty.