What is involved in LEGALLY Immigrating from Mexico to the US?

[whitebear]

This is a point that I have never seen discussed, as far as I can recall.  

What makes it so onerous to go through the proper, legal process to be allowed to work in the U.S. that people would pay thousands of hard-earned dollars/pesos to a group men (coyotes) with bad reputations to try to enter the U.S. illegally.

Long question short: Why not follow the immigration rules?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[charby]

What I have heard is that the folks who hire these illegals don't want documented workers so they can pay less, not pay taxes, not pay social security and can treat the workers poorly.  If the worker is undocumented they are not going to report ill treatment to the proper agency.

C

[El Tejon]

1.  Taxes.
2.  Because Mexicans will work and Native born Americans bitch about their benefits or having Saturday off (ever been to the grocery store?  What are they talking about?  Right, their work schedules, every single time).
3.  Getting around red tape.  E.g. in Massachusetts, the states says that I have to buy insurance for employees.  Guess what employers are going to do?  Right, hire illegals and not have to pay.

Government creates a situation where compliance with the law is costly and darn near impossible.  It then reacts in shock when hardworking, creative people find ways around their inane laws.

[Guest]

I honestly don't know much about entering from Mexico legally but as a New Yorker with a fair number if international friends I know there is alot of corruption experianced by my South African and Eastern European friends.  For a few thousand dollars to some gentlemen from the Russian Mafia you can get your LEGAL paperwork in order in under two weeks.  My dear friend Linza who has been trying to do everything legit had had months delays, and on two occasions they have 'lost' her paperwork and required her to resubmit payment (Pay Twice even tho she has the record of the original payment).  
I haven't heard any calls to root out the corruption that so very easily settles into these goverment positions.  Why else would someone take a low wage paper shuffling position dealing with foriegners except for the fact that they are very comfortable offering up some money to grease the wheels.  As that lovely police 'grass eater' (accepting tips) progression showns its only a small step to expecting 'tips' for reguler service to demanding bribes for any proper service at all.
My rant on the subject anyways.  I'm a college student at Marist and it really upsets me when I mention this and get dismissed for my 'conspiracy theories' when someone need only go chat with the internationally minded french prof down the hall or take a drive down to some Vodka bars in Manhattan to verify.  I expect the situation from Mexico isn't all that different.

[280plus]

So the only thing I can see to do is make the process very simple and let whoever wants to work in this country go to work legally with documentation. It's the only way to beat all this corruption as far as I can tell. First thing that'll happen is produce will go up in price because now the farmers will have to pay minimum wage and the insurance and the taxes.

Tough nut to crack.

I'll say one thing. I've been seeing Mexicans on the jobsite mre and more lately. Roofers and sheetrockers. They all work hard. I even learned a good hole drilling trick from one of the kids. You'll find nasty anti Mexican writings on the porta potty walls. They are afraid of everybody. A kind word and a smile goes a long way with them.