Thread: UT: International refugees, Latino immigrants compete for se

International refugees, Latino immigrants compete for service-sector jobs

Published: Tuesday, July 5, 2011 6:17 p.m. MDT


SALT LAKE CITY — A culture clash reminiscent of many in American history is surfacing here as Latino immigrants find they have new competition for service-sector jobs.

The clash occurs after an immigrant population gets a firm hold on the lower rungs of the economic ladder and then sees competition from a newer immigrant population.

Today's competition affecting the Latino community comes from refugees, about 1,100 of whom will arrive in Utah during the year, mostly from southeast Asia and Africa. The new arrivals join a population of about 25,000 in Salt Lake County whose journey here began with refugee status.

Reported jitters among the Latino workforce at the Grand America Hotel, for example, has brought to light some of the angst the Latinos have with refugees. Tony Yapias, director of immigrant activist group Proyecto Latino de Utah, said housekeeping workers at the hotel say they are getting letters from Immigration and Customs Enforcement with requests for more documentation about their residency status.

The workers' concern is they won't be able to satisfy requirements of the new federal E-Verify system, which allows businesses to determine the eligibility of their employees to work in the United States, and they will loose their jobs to refugees.

Neither the hotel nor immigration officials are talking about potential job actions, and the hotel turned down a request to talk about the challenges of managing a workforce of both Hispanic immigrants and refugees from other parts of the world.

Regardless of the hotel involved, the clash is nothing new in American society nor to potential employers who work with both groups. And no hotel wants to be singled out as the focal point of the debate, said Michael Johnson, executive director of the Utah Hotel and Lodging Association.

"I don't know whether any hotels have found a difference between (the two groups) as workers, but I think hotels would, at this point, be likely to hire a refugee and very unlikely to hire somebody who's illegal," Johnson said. "The demographic has changed."

One of the significant differences between the Latino immigrant and refugee populations is that each refugee — placed in Utah with the involvement of international relief organizations and the State Department — arrives here with short-term financial and health benefits, a caseworker and permission to work.

"They have papers. They have Medicaid and everything else," Yapias said of the refugee community. The only government involvement the Latino immigrants have is Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he said, which is seen as a communitywide threat, not a help. "The only resource (the Latino) has is contact with a friend or a family member."

The current focus on immigration has Latinos under a spotlight.

"As hotels have engaged in E-Verify and other requirements, it's taken one major block of potential employees off the table," said Johnson, whose organization includes about 200 hotels in Utah.

"So the refugee population becomes even more valuable as potential employees," he said. "Refugees probably get snapped up about as quickly as they're available in the service sector, not just by hotels."

Gerald Brown, state coordinator for refugee resettlement with the Department of Workforce Services, said the hard feelings in the Latino community toward refugees stem from their being here longer and entrenched in service-sector jobs.

"It's very uncomfortable to work for refugees and know that sometimes they displace these folks," he said. "But I'm also not in a position to pass up jobs that are available."

One challenge is that a sizable segment of the Hispanic population is trapped in the immigration debate, unable to move up the economic ladder and make room for the refugee population "to move in and take that bottom-rung position" in the job market, Johnson said.

Brown said that both groups are immigrants — just not on equal footing. He said he would like to see his office expand to offer Latino immigrants the services now offered to refugees. "To do it right you have to think about both groups. You have to plan for it. Hopefully in three or four years from now the office I work for will change names and things will improve."

www.deseretnews.com

"Legal" Asian refugees aren't dumb. They will probably turn in the illegals so they can create job openings for themselves. Economic pressures on legal immigrants may actually help get rid of employment monopolies created for and by illegal immigrants from Mexico and central America.

Just for once, I would like to hear some official, any official, say that American citizens need to have equal footing.

A culture clash reminiscent of many in American history is surfacing here as Latino immigrants find they have new competition for service-sector jobs.

The clash occurs after an immigrant population gets a firm hold on the lower rungs of the economic ladder and then sees competition from a newer immigrant population.

But the refugees are hard-workers who come here for a better life, they are God's children and we must welcome them. They are taking jobs no Americans want, etc., etc., etc.

Aren't these the same arguments illegal aliens and their enablers use to justify their own criminal acts? I see xenophobia raising it's ugly head.
Tough nuts to y'all. If you don't have legal status, you need to get out.

Originally Posted by ReggieMay

Just for once, I would like to hear some official, any official, say that American citizens need to have equal footing.

Ditto! With 20 million plus illegal invaders stealing jobs in this country, why do we need to bring in any more immigrants who are going to compete for jobs with Americans from this socio-economic population? Our government refuses to stop importing poverty into this country and it’s destroying our nation!

One of the significant differences between the Latino immigrant and refugee populations is that each refugee — placed in Utah with the involvement of international relief organizations and the State Department — arrives here with short-term financial and health benefits, a caseworker and permission to work.

Why are we bringing in more people that require any assistance, short-term or otherwise, especially when so many Americans are struggling at the moment? I don’t get it…..

Gerald Brown, state coordinator for refugee resettlement with the Department of Workforce Services, said the hard feelings in the Latino community toward refugees stem from their being here longer and entrenched in service-sector jobs.

"It's very uncomfortable to work for refugees and know that sometimes they displace these folks," he said. "But I'm also not in a position to pass up jobs that are available."

Why is it so "uncomfortable" to work for refugees that displace illegal invaders?? For goodness sakes!! I notice you're not too uncomfortable with illegal invaders and or refugees displacing AMERICAN CITIZENS! But why would you, when you work for the government.....

Originally Posted by ReggieMay

Just for once, I would like to hear some official, any official, say that American citizens need to have equal footing.

Did you hear about Sen. Dick Durbin (D. –Ill.) that acknowledged dozens of illegals in a senate hearing? Here's the link: http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=44558

Game over.

Originally Posted by legalalien

Originally Posted by ReggieMay

Just for once, I would like to hear some official, any official, say that American citizens need to have equal footing.

Did you hear about Sen. Dick Durbin (D. –Ill.) that acknowledged dozens of illegals in a senate hearing? Here's the link: http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=44558

Game over.

I sure have - I'm from Illinois (and embarassed to admit it). I called his office to ask who he worked for and listened to his staff member stutter and stammer for a few minutes. He seems to spend a lot of time on the DREAM Act and ensuring rights for Muslims, I just wondered what he had done lately for American citizens - you know, the ones he actually works for.