Thread: Aid packet has tips for immigrants

http://www.masslive.com

Aid packet has tips for immigrants
Friday, June 30, 2006
By NATALIA MUÑOZ
nmunoz@repub.com


SPRINGFIELD - Western Massachusetts Legal Services is compiling information on a range of legal and social issues to aid immigrants regardless of their legal status.

John Williford of the Springfield office of Legal Services, made the announcement at a meeting of the Western Massachusetts Coalition for Immigrant Rights, held this week at Holyoke Community College.

"The packets will include worker rights and they will be bilingual," he said.

Immigrant advocates say that many undocumented immigrants have suffered lost wages because their employer takes advantage of their vulnerabilities and pays them less or not at all at the conclusion of a short-term job.

Williford said the packet, which will include a calendar so that workers can keep accurate count of hours worked, will become available in August in both English and Spanish.

Additionally, most people who work at Legal Services also speak Spanish, said Williford.

Regardless of their legal status, anyone who works must be paid the amount agreed upon. The state attorney general enforces the law.

Although there are no set numbers on how many undocumented immigrants live in the region, advocates say that there are thousands working in construction, restaurants, landscaping and factories.

We should prosecute the employers that hire them, nevermind wasting more of our tax dollars fighting employment suits for people that are in our country illegally and are criminals. MA has no real enforcement for these lawbreakers that hire illegal aliens. That is the problem, prosecute them and the illegals will go away. No jobs, no lure....