Sat., March 17, 2007




By SUE SCHEIBLE
The Patriot Ledger

NEW BEDFORD - Most of the 361 undocumented workers swept up in a federal immigration raid on March 6 have long been a ‘‘largely invisible’’ presence in the Greater New Bedford community, according to the head of a large social service agency trying to help them.

‘‘Many are Mayan Indians from Guatemala or El Salvador and the population is largely invisible to a lot of people in this city,’’ said Bruce Morell, executive director of PACE Inc., the Greater New Bedford community action organization. PACE stands for People Acting in Community Endeavors.

Pat Daly, executive director of South Shore Community Action Council in Plymouth, said the New Bedford crisis made her realize immigration status is also a local issue.

There are about 300 Brazilian Portuguese people in the Plymouth area, she said, and they are a mix of legal and illegal immigrants. ‘‘We haven’t done enough to educate ourselves and get on top of the issue,’’ Daly said.

Because some of the New Bedford immigrant families have come here without legal papers, Morell said, ‘‘they really are underground - and this enforcement action will drive them further underground. They fear deportation the most - more than losing their jobs - and they avoid the official organizations.’’

Still, there are many people in the community who know who the undocumented workers are, and because of their illegal status, the immigrants are prey to being robbed. The criminals know their victims do not dare go to police for fear of being detained and deported.

Once the workers find jobs, using false papers or stories that are not checked out, then they rely on each other for social support and child care, Morell said.

‘‘They take jobs that are at the bottom rung of the economic ladder, such as in fish houses, where the unions were busted years ago. They work double shifts to have $100 to $200 to send back to their families in Guatemala and El Salvador. And they get their relatives and neighbors to look after their children, because there may be several families sharing a single apartment.’’

After the raid by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency at the Michael Bianco Inc. leather factory, one man was left caring for four toddlers and infants. The parents had been detained and taken to Fort Ayer and then to Texas.

When the workers turn to PACE Inc. for help, it tends to be for fuel assistance with heating and utility bills, for welfare benefits for their children, who are U.S. citizens if born in this country, and for the taxpayer assistance program. The workers have state and federal taxes withheld from their pay and are sometimes eligible for $5,000 to $6,000 in refunds.

But if they are using phony Social Security cards, they’ll be discovered when the tax agencies cross-check with Social Security records.

‘‘I remember one couple who came in and filed a return and thought they had a good Social Security card - and the IRS kicked their return back,’’ Morell said. ‘‘When we looked at the copy of the card in our files, and turned it over, we saw words were misspelled. Someone had sold them that card and told them it was good.’’

Of 9,500 households enrolled in the agency’s fuel assistance program, Morell estimated 250 are illegal immigrants. Only about five of 300 children in the Head Start program are from families with undocumented workers.

The raid has had a ripple effect in other New Bedford companies. This week, Morell heard that workers were not showing up for jobs at some industries because they feared further raids.

The New Bedford Department of Social Services area office has freed money to provide some child care vouchers for children whose parents were taken to Texas, Morell said.

The Massachusetts Immigrants and Refugee Advocacy Coalition has started a relief fund through the Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts. The goal is $250,000 - about $65,000 had been raised as of Thursday. The fund is called the New Bedford Immigrant Families/Niños Fund. Donations can be sent to CFSEMA, 227 Union St., Suite 609, New Bedford 02740; or made online at miracoalition.org.

A relief center has been set up at the former Our Lady of Guadalupe Convent.

‘‘There is a lot of chaos,’’ Morell said. ‘‘The families have been ripped apart. Our view is that this was an insane way of dealing with it-. People look at the label, but these are human beings.’’

PACE serves 35,000 families in Greater New Bedford through a dozen programs.

Sue Scheible may be reached at sscheible@ledger.com .

Copyright 2007 The Patriot Ledger
Transmitted Saturday, March 17, 2007








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