Thread: N.Y.: For Day Laborers, an Intersection of Fear

Usual style of the NY Times.
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November 16, 2008
Jackson Heights
For Day Laborers, an Intersection of Fear
By JAMES ANGELOS

A MAN behind the wheel of a rented truck needed a worker, so just after 8 a.m. on Tuesday, he pulled up to a corner where he knew he would find someone.

The horde of men standing there in hooded sweatshirts rushed over like seagulls flocking to a piece of bread. The driver raised an index finger to indicate that he needed only one person, then pointed it at a tall man who promptly jumped into the passenger seat. The chosen worker smiled gleefully as the truck sped off.

Scenes like this have long been commonplace on 69th Street near Broadway and 37th Avenue in Jackson Heights, Queens, where scores of day laborers gather most days. But ever since Oct. 21, when the police arrested 10 laborers at the intersection, a feeling of unease has reverberated among the men.

In a show of tensions more common in the suburbs than in the city, the officers broke up the gathering of laborers, citing what they described as repeated complaints from local residents. According to the police, members of the group were arrested for disorderly conduct, then released. Although police cars passed the crowd of laborers without incident on this Tuesday morning, the arrests have stoked fear of deportation among the men, many of them illegal immigrants from Latin America.

“I’m afraid now they will send me back to my country,â€

"As he spoke, a Salvation Army truck pulled up to the curb to serve the laborers hot lunches of chicken and rice. Mr. Hiletzaris asked the driver to move."

They will not get my donation this Christmas.

Originally Posted by jimpasz

"As he spoke, a Salvation Army truck pulled up to the curb to serve the laborers hot lunches of chicken and rice. Mr. Hiletzaris asked the driver to move."

They will not get my donation this Christmas.

I always donate to them, because when my Dad was in Korea during the war, they were always there for the soldiers, so he encouraged us to give back to them. I had no idea they were using donations to serve hot lunches to illegals. Why not look for homeless vets and bring them hot lunches? They aren't hard to find. No more donations from me either.

I donate to the Red Cross. They came by daily after Hurricanes Charley and Wilma hit my FL house with food and water as we had no power for weeks. When power goes out for days, DO NOT OPEN REFRIGERATOR!