Legal, Illegal Latino Labor Rebuilds Texas

Under Shadow Of Immigration Officials, Day Workers Fill A Pressing Need In Hurricane Ike's Aftermath

(AP)  All along the Texas coast, Latino immigrants are hauling away fallen trees, slashing through storm-tangled brush, patching punctured roofs.

On working-class corners, on ladders in front of Victorian houses, in the yards of ornate mansions, crews of men in dusty jeans, sturdy workboots and baseball caps are nearly as omnipresent in the post-Hurricane Ike landscape as blue tarps on rooftops.

These workers, who get picked up off the street by homeowners looking for quick, cheap labor, are helping to rebuild the devastated cities of southeast Texas.

Many of them are here illegally. Others are legal residents in need of income after their regular jobs were disrupted by the hurricane.

Ike brought a wide swath of destruction - and with it the prospect of more work, higher wages and a respite from the ever-present threat of deportation. In recent months, many day laborers say, jobs in the Houston area had started to dry up, and police and immigration officials had been cracking down.

"There's more work now," Teodoro Alvarado, 20, said Friday in Spanish as he stood on a corner in the gritty Houston suburb of Pasadena where day laborers regularly wait for work. "And I hope more work comes."

There's reason to believe it will: After Hurricane Katrina, thousands of Latino immigrants streamed to New Orleans for jobs in construction, carpentry and cleanup.

Since Ike struck Sept. 13, Gerardo Hernandez has been getting jobs lifting trees off driveways and houses, but he usually works as a roofer. A drive through the quaint bayside community of Kemah, where the hurricane lifted the roofs off dozens of boardwalk restaurants and private homes, made him confident there'd be need for his services.

"In the weeks that come, as people get insurance money, I think there will be more work," Hernandez, a Mexican immigrant who has been in this country four years, said in Spanish.

Along with the promise of fresh jobs, there are fears of abuse and exploitation of workers, and rumors that immigration officials will be poised at job sites to arrest the undocumented. After Katrina, many Latino workers in New Orleans reported cases of unsafe working conditions and employers who cheated them out of money earned.

"These people are going to be getting work, but they will also be the most exploited," said Annica Gorham, director of the Houston Interfaith Worker Justice Center, which helps day laborers who have been cheated of wages, injured on the job or working in unsafe conditions. "Day laborers are some of the most vulnerable workers here and across the county."

(Enrique Salazar, 18, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, waits on a corner in Pasadena, Texas, for work, Sept. 18, 2008. Salazar hopes that cleaning up and rebuilding from all the damage caused by Hurricane Ike will mean more work for him.)

In Houston, as in dozens of other U.S. cities, several police departments in the area have started to turn over undocumented immigrants for deportation. There have also been highly publicized workplace raids by federal agents, including one in June where 160 workers at a cluttered rag factory were arrested.

But this city's immigrants, who help make up the country's second-largest population of day laborers after that of Los Angeles, also provide a ready-made work force for the massive cleanup and rebuilding efforts.

"There are plenty of people asking for help," said Marco Ramirez, 50, a contractor who normally has a five-man crew. Since Ike, Ramirez has had to hire extra workers and will likely need more. All, including Ramirez, are Latino immigrants.

"The immigrant people, the Latinos, are the ones who really do the job," said Ramirez, who spoke outside a sprawling home where his men were using chain saws and chains to cut through fallen trees and splintered branches. "We are going to put the city back together."

Even in Houston, a city long known as friendly toward undocumented immigrants, many people see the use of such workers as nothing more than a shortcut around the country's labor laws.

In the storm's aftermath, however, Mayor Bill White said homeowners need to find help where they can.

"I like to see people doing it, rather than letting debris pile up and people not getting roofs fixed," said White, who has a reputation for welcoming immigrants.

Early on most mornings last week, many of the more than two dozen spots in Houston where day laborers gather had been swept clean by contractors and homeowners looking for workers. Most are paid about $8 to $10 an hour to install wallboard, clear driveways and yards, or repair roofs. So far, workers said, wages had not increased much from pre-Ike rates.

At a Home Depot in southeast Houston, where as many as 100 day laborers gathered well before dawn Friday to wait for work, dozens of men from Mexico, Honduras, and El Salvador stood on the periphery of a parking lot.

Every few minutes, the drivers of cars, pickup trucks and SUVs would pull up and signal to the waiting men. It took mere seconds for the workers to converge on a vehicle, negotiate a price and jump inside.

The men left behind were both encouraged by the signs of burgeoning work and worried about the possibility of dishonest employers and immigration roundups.

"We're just looking for steady work to support our families," 45-year-old Antonio Velasquez, whose wife and nine children remain in El Salvador, said in Spanish.

When things are going well, Velasquez sends his family $500 a month. Lately, he barely has enough to cover his own expenses.

Velasquez protects himself from wage theft by only working for employers who pay at the end of the day.

"Un dia trabajado es un dia pagado," he said, quoting a refrain often used by day laborers: A day's pay for a day's work.

Stories of widespread employer abuse and wage theft following Katrina have left immigrants wary of accepting long-term jobs in other locations.

On Friday morning, the driver of a bus looking for a crew to work for a week in the Galveston area, saying the pay would come at week's end. He got few takers.

"They need us, but they also take advantage of us," said Alex Yovani, 26, a Honduran immigrant who also worked in Louisiana after Katrina. "Without us, how would they build Houston again? Without the work of our hands, there would be no way to move forward."

As Yovani spoke, homeowner Dale Emion (left) eased his pickup close to the circle of men. It was immediately surrounded by over a dozen day laborers.

"I need two and will pay $7 an hour to clean up around my house," Emion said.

"You gonna give lunch?" asked one man in broken English.

Emion shook his head. No one got in the truck, but the men didn't walk away, either.

"OK. I'll pay $8," said Emion.

Two men got in the cab of the truck.

"I just need them to clean up my house," Emion said. "Where else am I going to find workers?"

[bhappy2-2]

More ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS taking jobs from Americans. We need to get rid of these ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS so Americans can go to work.

[lovegetpeace]

Posted by rushlimpdrug at 06:45 PM : Sep 22, 2008

Thank you for the clarification. Yes, NeoCons will never blame the Ivy University Educated at our top financial institutions for this Economic Meltdown. They can only have the balls to blame the voiceless and powerless 12 million undocumented immigrants used as scapegoats.

[rushlimpdrug]

Just wanted to put the numbers out there.

It is something to think about.

A VERY small number of "edumikated"
financial punks put the country in the
toilet and we are all pointing fingers
at the "uneducated" illegal for providing
a days WORK for less than fair wages.

Again, just food for thought as we all
drive to Walmart to purchase foreign products.

[lovegetpeace]

Posted by rushlimpdrug at 06:41 PM : Sep 22, 2008

Confused... what is your point?...Please clarify.

[rushlimpdrug]

If you give each of the 12 million
illegal immigrants from LATIN America
an equal amount of the money the
U.S. government is giving to bail out
the market
they would each recieve over
$58,000.00 dollars EACH.

That''s 58 thousand dollars for each
illegal man, woman, and child.

Shall we give it to them and let
all the whiners WORK for their wages?

[lovegetpeace]

Posted by slim1h2o at 06:01 PM : Sep 22, 2008

Hispanics are already the Majority in California, New Mexico and Florida.

Soon, Arizona, Colorado, New York, Texasa, etc will join the crowd.

Texas will join around 2024.

[slim1h2o]

Posted by lovegetpeace at 05:55 PM : Sep 22, 2008

You are lying again....

And not to mention,,,The CDC,,says that illegals are bringing in deseases that have not been seen in this country in about 20 yrs,,

I.E. TB,,Polio,,,

And a host of other deseases...

[lovegetpeace]

Folks,
Do you wish to see the Stock Brokers, Financial Professionals and CEOs just laid off from Wall Streets in the last 2 weeks in America today:

-Surf to http://www.joke-portal.com/d_jokes.htm
-Click the ''Day Laborers'' link in the middle of your screen.

Enjoy!

[lovegetpeace]

Posted by Upto1947 at 05:45 PM : Sep 22, 2008

According to the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, LEGAL Hispanics have a very High Positive birth rate and Anglo-Saxon Whites have a High Negative birth rate. Assuming constant current birth rates, LEGAL Hispanics will become the Majority race in the entire USA by 2042.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/13/national/main4349428.shtml

After the Hispanics become the Majority in America by 2042, there will be no Immigration laws to break.

By 2042, several new laws will be passed by the U.S. Congress and Signed by the U.S. President:
-No more Raids.
-Amnesty for all Undocumented Aliens.
-Elimination of the Quota system in the Immigration laws.
-Return of all U.S. Stolen Territories back to Mexico.
-Tear down all Border Walls.
-Eliminate the Border Patrol Agency.
-Spanish as the Official Language.
-Outlaw the Republican Party.
-Named the Minuteman Project a Terrorist Organization.
-Not add the Whites on the Endanger Species Act listing.

"Mission Accomplished"

[upto1947]

THEN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT..WHAT I HATE ABOUT YOU GUYS IS THAT YOU come up with these things and yet do nothing..

Give me a gun, make me a policeman and give me a jail. I''ll do something about it.

You talk to much. Are you here Legal are Illegal? You in love with these people?

[upto1947]

The police need to go and put every one of the Illegal in jail and put every one who is paying them in jail with them. They are breaking the LAW. All of them should be in jail.

[slim1h2o]

THEN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT..WHAT I HATE ABOUT YOU GUYS IS THAT YOU come up with these things and yet do nothing..


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Posted by libluv2spit at 05:24 PM : Sep 22, 2008


Hey Chisel butt,,I''m on the down hill slide, meaning, RETIRED.

My job right now, is to educate you younger people, and your job is to listen!

And act accordingly,,,and I have been doing something.

Writing my Reps. Are or have you??


What the hell more you want??

[lovegetpeace]

Posted by libluv2spit at 05:15 PM : Sep 22, 2008

"chavez is a socialist..and he is pretty much the ''el presidente'' for life..prove me worng"

Chavez current term ends on 2012. Please read the press, Chavez wanted to change the Constitution of Venezuela to include Life but Failed last year.

[slim1h2o]

you watch too many oliver stone movies..




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Posted by libluv2spit at 05:13 PM : Sep 22, 2008


Haven''t seen a single Stone movie.

I just know what he did with the 9/11 attack. Between Bush, and the terrorists,, Together,,, they got what they wanted.

The total destruction of our economy,,,,,,


Mission accomplished!!!

[lovegetpeace]

Posted by libluv2spit at 04:51 PM : Sep 22, 2008

"under socialism A ''''PRESIDENT is a president for life..(bush is leaving on 11/08)."

WRONG! Only under Communism is a president for life.

[slim1h2o]

..(bush is leaving on 11/08).




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by libluv2spit at 04:51 PM : Sep 22, 2008


You mean 1/09,,officially,,,


Well we hope he does,,he just might come up with emergency,,and declare Marshall law....

[slim1h2o]

the guy is a genius at bringing death to everything he touches, including the economy.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by six-seis-six at 04:49 PM : Sep 22, 2008


Holy Cra/p Batman,,we agree on something,,,

The man should go to jail for the rest of his life, with Cheney too....

Boo Boo...........

[lovegetpeace]

Posted by skyk239 at 04:38 PM : Sep 22, 2008

I do not need to move to Venezuela to enjoy Socialism. I already have Socialism here in America. Beside, Western and Eastern Europe, Asia, Central America and South America are under Socialism. So, it cannot be that bad are you pretend to paint it.

[lovegetpeace]

Posted by libluv2spit at 04:27 PM : Sep 22, 2008

Funny how you BS Socialism when America is already under Socialism thanks to your Idol Bush.

[skyk239]

yeah yeah whatever..you hate capitalism so much you cant stop sucking from ti*ts.

like i said..if you are that proud then back up your conviction young man..MOVE TO VALENZUELA. TRY IT FOR A YEAR..and try some true socialist discomfort.

btw..socialist spain is kicking our unemployed illegal immgrants..just want you to know the true heart of a true socialist system

Posted by libluv2spit at 04:27 PM : Sep 22, 2008

Whoa there Sparky! That''s a Citizen and YOUR views of how things should be run are NO more important than his. IF anyone should leave it should be the JERK who wants others too!!