Thread: SC-Illegal workers apparently shifting jobs within state

Illegal workers apparently shifting jobs within state, experts say
They don't appear to be leaving dispite tough new law
By Tim Smith • STAFF WRITER • July 12, 2008

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COLUMBIA - Illegal workers in South Carolina may be shifting jobs and don't appear to be leaving the state on their own, despite stepped up federal deportations, officials say.


Few of the sectors popular among immigrants are reporting labor shortages and some are reporting a surplus of workers, said industry leaders and those who study immigrant workers in the state.

Doug Woodward, a University of South Carolina economics professor who has studied immigrant labor in the state, said a decline in construction has shifted immigrants from that field to others, preventing any chilling effect from deportation increases or parts of a tough new state immigration law that have gone into effect.

That's particularly true in the landscaping business, said Steve Crump, the president of the state's nursery and landscaping association, where three to four immigrants a day are calling his company looking for work.

"I think what's clear is happening is a downturn in construction is creating a surplus labor force in the Latino population, which probably is making some labor available for other industries," Woodward said. "It's probably a bigger effect than the effect from the new law or the crackdowns. Some will go home. Some will go to other regions But a lot will try to find jobs in other sectors of our economy."

Gov. Mark Sanford last month signed into law a comprehensive immigration reform bill that legislative leaders have touted as the nation's toughest. While the part of the new law dealing with private employers and verification doesn't begin until next summer for large companies, other parts of the law are already in effect.

Among them are requirements that state officials verify the legal status of anyone 18 or older applying for state or local benefits, that illegal immigrants be banned from public colleges and college aid and that anyone sheltering, harboring or transporting an illegal immigrant is guilty of a felony. Beginning in January, the law requires public agencies and contractors doing business with the government to use a federal electronic database to verify employees. The law also bans the deduction of business expenses for any illegal workers.

Private employers ignoring the law next year and thereafter and employing illegal labor will risk being shut down.

Passage of the law came as federal authorities have stepped up deportations of illegal workers in the region, officials have said. Deportations in the North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia region have jumped from 4,318 in the fiscal year ending in October 2005 to 12,379 this year since October, according to the federal Immigration and Customers Enforcement agency.

Tom Sponseller, president and chief operating officer of the state's hotel and restaurant association, said he has heard of no shortages of labor, especially along the coast, the state's tourism breadbasket.

"People say there is more available labor than in the past," he said.

He said because a federal Visa program used by immigrant workers has timed out, business owners were nervous about a labor shortage this summer.

"But so far, the reports I've gotten have been that there are more locals available than in years past," he said. "They are either out of work from other sectors or the economy is driving them to work."

Crump, who runs a Rock Hill nursery and landscaping business, said when banks began loaning far less on mortgages last year, it caught many builders by surprise and slowed down construction. He said some builders have begun to regroup but there remains a surplus of workers.

"The market has tightened up in our area," he said.

Reggie Hall, spokesman for the South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation, said farmers have told him they have not noticed a shortage of labor this summer. But he said there was a shortage earlier this year, when some farmers went out of business or dramatically reduced production "due to a shortage of legal, available and willing work force."

He said farmers this summer are more worried about the effects a drought than not enough workers.

Mark Nix, executive director of the South Carolina Home Builders Association, said building permits have been down in the last year across the state. He said he has not noticed any shortage of labor.

Nix said he does not expect to see any impact from the state's new immigration law on private builders until at least next summer, when it goes into effect for large companies.

"What I've heard from other states is it's two to three months before it takes effect when you see that mass exodus of not only illegals but legals as well," he said.

Woodward said he believes the construction downturn surprised many Latino workers.

"I don't believe they thought such a thing could happen," he said.

He said it is unclear what will happen next year as the immigration law's verification requirements begin.

http://www.greenvilleonline.com/apps/pb ... /807120333

Nix said he does not expect to see any impact from the state's new immigration law on private builders until at least next summer, when it goes into effect for large companies.

"What I've heard from other states is it's two to three months before it takes effect when you see that mass exodus of not only illegals but legals as well," he said.


Finally!!! Someone quoted in this article has an operational brain in his head!!!

This, below, was the dumbest thing I have heard in a long time:

Illegal workers in South Carolina may be shifting jobs and don't appear to be leaving the state on their own, despite stepped up federal deportations, officials say.


For anyone to try and say that a law signed only last month, and which the fullest extent of has not kicked in yet, is not working and illegals are not leaving....implying that the law is a failure.......is inane prattle. The guy making this statement should be ashamed of himself.

What Nix says is true. It takes a few months for the effect these laws have on IAs to settle in and be noticed. There is already a high unemployment rate among them in SC, probably due to the slowdown in construction, etc., but SC can fully expect to see that rate rise dramtically as employers begin auditing their own files and letting go those who cannot prove legal status. Many IAs will also just simply quit because they know what is coming. Yes, some will try to find employment elsewhere, or try their hand at the day labor game, but they will quickly find that the majority of employers ARE going to abide by the law and that there are too many people vying for too few day labor jobs making it not worth the time to even try.

There will also be some who do try going to other states for work and find no luck there either. Again, it is a scenario where there are too few jobs for far too many people, employers...even in states which have not yet enacted their own laws.....are nervous, and the local IA populations are not behaving very nicely toward even their own trying to move in on their jobs while they are still lucky enough to have them.

And that is when the IAs leave.

We saw it here in AZ, it has been seen in other states where laws have been enacted, and SC is no different in the fact that they will see it also.


Woodward said he believes the construction downturn surprised many Latino workers.

"I don't believe they thought such a thing could happen," he said.


It wasn't just the construction downturn that they thought could never happen, believe me.

Stepped up enforcement and laws designed to specifically deal with this problem is what has really taken them by surprise more than anything else.

For how long were they being told that nothing could be done about them? How long had they gotten away with it? IAs were totally convinced that they were untouchable and this would go on forever.

The changes have absolutely left them reeling from the shock.

I for one do not much faith in the legislation just passed in South
Carolina. I am in construction and since building has slowed down I have noticed fewer illegal aliens at sites all over Columbia. But they are not leaving here or changing jobs because of the laws just passed. They are doing it because jobs are scarcer in construction because of the slowdown.
These people talk like they know exactly what is going to happen when the laws start becoming effective next July and the way I see it they are just pissing in the wind. When they talk about the contractors using E-verify to weed out all the illegals they do not know what they are talking about. Most contractors in this state do not have any employees therewith most contractors will not be using E-Verify. Most of the workers on construction sites do not work for the contractor but for the sub-contractors, roofing, framing, stucco, masons, landscapers and others. Most of the small sub-contractors pay their laborers in cash, therewith they will not be using E-Verify either.
When construction was going full speed a few months ago, 75% of the construction workers in South Carolina were illegal aliens. When construction regains its momentum, 75% of the workers will be illegals. E-Verify, and all the laws SC just passed last month will not put a dent in that 75%.. Some illegals might have left because of the laws but most will be laying low to find out exactly what will happen. And they are going to find out that the laws have no teeth in it. We hardly have any 287G trained in this state now and to the best of my knowledge none are scheduled in the next year.
So in my opinion, nothing is going to change. The politicians might be patting theirselves on the back for passing the legislation but it will have no teeth in it.

Originally Posted by loneprotester

I for one do not much faith in the legislation just passed in South
Carolina. I am in construction and since building has slowed down I have noticed fewer illegal aliens at sites all over Columbia. But they are not leaving here or changing jobs because of the laws just passed. They are doing it because jobs are scarcer in construction because of the slowdown.
These people talk like they know exactly what is going to happen when the laws start becoming effective next July and the way I see it they are just pissing in the wind. When they talk about the contractors using E-verify to weed out all the illegals they do not know what they are talking about. Most contractors in this state do not have any employees therewith most contractors will not be using E-Verify. Most of the workers on construction sites do not work for the contractor but for the sub-contractors, roofing, framing, stucco, masons, landscapers and others. Most of the small sub-contractors pay their laborers in cash, therewith they will not be using E-Verify either.
When construction was going full speed a few months ago, 75% of the construction workers in South Carolina were illegal aliens. When construction regains its momentum, 75% of the workers will be illegals. E-Verify, and all the laws SC just passed last month will not put a dent in that 75%.. Some illegals might have left because of the laws but most will be laying low to find out exactly what will happen. And they are going to find out that the laws have no teeth in it. We hardly have any 287G trained in this state now and to the best of my knowledge none are scheduled in the next year.
So in my opinion, nothing is going to change. The politicians might be patting theirselves on the back for passing the legislation but it will have no teeth in it.

That may be so, but the cut in state and local benefits WILL make them move to greener pastures.