I know what you're saying;

I'm mexican, attended school in USA for a few years and stayed afterwards living with my ex-girlfriend.

Found a temporary legal job as a 'Spanish court interpreter and translator', and earned (by the hour) what seemed quite well at that time (20 yrs ago), but after paying taxes plus some type of insurance, the earnings by the hour, came close to nothing.

I didn't really need the money and did it only for a couple of months, as replacement for whoever was on vacations during that summer.

I met many illegal aliens in the process, and learned quite a bit about the inmigration issues.

There were some guys that were always around, and acted as the illegals' guardians, which got used to my presence and became everyday acquaintances.

These guys made fun of the system (and of my salary too...lol.., and they "adviced" me to find a job as an illegal instead; and he mentioned how to get many of the state's benefits.- pretty much the same to what you have mentioned above....

What I learned...illegal aliens are from Mexico, China, korea, Salvador, Panamá, Ecuador, Cuba, thailand and tropical islands

These people are sucking loads of tax payers' money, and after they get a mate, usually have 5+ children, while americans are having an average of 2-3.

Just make the numbers, in 2000 there were 8-11 millions, nowadays there are more than 15 million illegal aliens in the country, attempting to pass an amnesty law... YIKES!

some links with interesting info >

The Pro-Illegal agenda

ONE MILLION SEX-CRIMES IN USA COMMITTED BY ILLEGAL ALIENS! What are you doing to stop them?

IllegalAliens.US-Home (Undocumented immigrants is politically correct nonsense!)

The Illegal Alien Problem: Enforcing the Immigration Laws; United States IMMIGRATION MENU