Thread: Economy killing jobs for Tucson day laborers

The people who run a day labor center in Tucson say they are seeing fewer men standing around waiting to be picked up for a day's work.

The economy and Arizona's strict employer sanctions law are blamed for the decrease in day laborers with some choosing to leave the city and returned to their native countries.

"The number of day workers at that corner has dropped from 60 to less than 40 on any given morning," said Josefina Ahumada, a social worker running the Day Laborers Center at Southside Presbyterian Church.

She said in the past year there has been a steady decline of employers coming to the church, which she attributes in part to the slumping economy.

During the construction boom, most of the men at the church would have been picked up for work by 8 a.m., a few laborers said.

Some of the day laborers recently had jobs but have been laid off. Others come and go but there are about two dozen men or more standing on the corner every day, Ahumada said.

Most of the Tucson day laborers work construction, hospitality and home repair jobs, but right now it seems as though most of the possible jobs are gone, Ahumada said.

"I believe there's a misconception out there that these people are just hanging out in the corner. The reality is that these are people (who) are working in our communities and are part of them," Ahumada said.

As day laborers leave the country, Tucson businesses will be affected by their absence, said Price Fishback, a professor in the University of Arizona's department of economics.

"Their leaving will definitely have an impact here on anyone selling products or services to immigrants," he said.

Fishback said immigrant workers are pretty good for the economy because they supply labor and increase a demand for goods.

"When the economy is bad here they leave, and when we need them they come back," he said.

"We've seen this happen in the past and it is happening again now."

A national immigration think tank believes illegal immigrants leaving will ultimately be good for the economy and for out-of-work Americans.

Steven Camarota, director of research for the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Immigration Studies, said in a report this month "if the United States chose to more vigorously enforce immigration laws over the next year, and this resulted in 1 or 2 million illegal workers deciding to leave, it could significantly improve the employment prospects for less-educated natives."

http://www.abc15.com/content/news/centr ... t2jjA.cspx

The economy and Arizona's strict employer sanctions law are blamed for the decrease in day laborers with some choosing to leave the city and returned to their native countries.

GOOD! Bye Bye Illegals!

She said in the past year there has been a steady decline of employers coming to the church, which she attributes in part to the slumping economy.

WHAT?? No money in the Catholic collection plates to fight the sexual abuse crowd? I'm stunned!

"I believe there's a misconception out there that these people are just hanging out in the corner. The reality is that these are people (who) are working in our communities and are part of them," Ahumada said.

NICE NAME!!

"Their leaving will definitely have an impact here on anyone selling products or services to immigrants,"

Screw anyone giving illegals jobs. Who cares ... they are Un-American and greedy.


And now for the GOOD NEWS!

A national immigration think tank believes illegal immigrants leaving will ultimately be good for the economy and for out-of-work Americans.

Steven Camarota, director of research for the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Immigration Studies, said in a report this month "if the United States chose to more vigorously enforce immigration laws over the next year, and this resulted in 1 or 2 million illegal workers deciding to leave, it could significantly improve the employment prospects for less-educated natives."

I sure do wish they were leaving. There is a new house being built in my neighborhood and all the people working on it are speaking Spanish all day long. The local health department is still filled with pregnant illegals getting free healthcare. I think many of them with kids are sticking around for the long haul. Even if they're not working they're still getting anchor baby benefits.

Originally Posted by hattiecat

I sure do wish they were leaving. There is a new house being built in my neighborhood and all the people working on it are speaking Spanish all day long. The local health department is still filled with pregnant illegals getting free healthcare. I think many of them with kids are sticking around for the long haul. Even if they're not working they're still getting anchor baby benefits.

Confront the "boss" and tell them you're going to call ICE???? Just a thought.

Originally Posted by hattiecat

I sure do wish they were leaving. There is a new house being built in my neighborhood and all the people working on it are speaking Spanish all day long. The local health department is still filled with pregnant illegals getting free healthcare. I think many of them with kids are sticking around for the long haul. Even if they're not working they're still getting anchor baby benefits.

CALL ICE on them!

Call ICE... My experience calling them was to feel as if I was a criminal. Short clipped questions and no answer as to what , if anything would be done.

Originally Posted by misterbill

Call ICE... My experience calling them was to feel as if I was a criminal. Short clipped questions and no answer as to what , if anything would be done.

I called ICE not too long ago about a man who told me he was an illegal alien. ICE told me that unless I had his name and address, they couldn't do anything. But telling the boss/owner you're going to call ICE might work if enough of us did it. He might be too afraid of the bad publicity and the inconvenience, even though, ultimately, they only get a slap on the wrist.