Thread: Advocates say many immigrant workers' needs unmet

Advocates say many immigrant workers' needs unmet

Grappling to help Latino workers

Pat Schneider — 9/06/2007 1:14 pm

Dane County is not facing an immediate crisis of how to feed and shelter undocumented workers terminated in response to a Bush administration crackdown on the employers who hired them, but an unmet demand for services by immigrant workers and their families long has been simmering, service providers say.

Local service providers had expected to be grappling soon with the wake of a new Department of Homeland Security rule imposing stiff fines on employers with undocumented workers, until a federal judge on Friday barred implementation pending an Oct. 1 hearing. But the community needs to mobilize to meet needs of immigrant workers employed at minimum wage or "off the book" jobs, fearful to contact local agencies for help, members of La Sup, a consortium of service providers, advocates and community group members serving the Latino community, said Wednesday.

"This is not an emergency arising now -- it's something we live with every day," said Teresa Tellez-Giron, a Dane County social worker and La Sup member. "We need to advocate for a special fund to help these individuals."

An estimated 1,500 "No Match" letters, each naming up to 500 workers whose Social Security numbers did not match government records, would have been sent out to Wisconsin employers under the new rule, scheduled to take effect on Sept. 14, Clair Lovell-Lepak, an attorney with the state Department of Workforce Development, told some 70 La Sup members meeting to strategize on how to fund and coordinate services.

A judicially ordered delay does not mean the rule won't take effect eventually. And beyond the specifics of the new No Match rule, increased immigration raids on workplaces and an ever-more-heated political climate mean that local agencies will be need to prepare for an influx of out-of-work immigrants, many possibly facing deportation.

"What will happen? We really don't know," said Ron Chance, a community program manager for Dane County who oversees the Joining Forces for Families offices in neighborhoods across the county. "I'm concerned that our offices would be inundated."

Coordination of services among agencies, or case management, will be key as the local social services community takes on more clients. "Why give someone $100 to buy food, when the food pantries can provide food and the $100 can be used for something else," said Shiva Bidar-Sielaff.

Because of its offices throughout the county and its track record of coordinating services by varied agencies, some on Wednesday suggested that Joining Forces for Families take on the role of coordinating services for immigrant workers.

That's the wrong way to go, others argued.

Lucia Nunez, director of the Madison Department of Civil Rights, said she was concerned about a database on a government computer that identifies people as undocumented workers in need of services. "A lot of government agencies share databases," Nunez said. "It really kind of scares me."

Others were concerned that county controls on the handling of the proposed fund would complicate its use.

Peter Munoz, executive director of Centro Hispano, said giving the county control of the fund would effectively kill fundraising efforts. "People don't believe in contributing to the government," he said.

Sal Carranza, president of Latinos United for Change and Advancement, or LUChA, said that United Way of Dane County had expertise in administering funds, but that local communities of faith should be tapped to help raise money.

Munoz agreed. "Politically, that's the best way," he said.

La Sup members will continue to meet to develop a plan for raising and distributing new funds to assist immigrant workers.

http://www.madison.com/tct/news/221936

(Maybe we should take up a collection ... for bus fare home that is.

Immigrant or Illegal Alien?

Dixie

Originally Posted by Dixie

Immigrant or Illegal Alien?

Dixie

Based on no match letters, I assume this means illegal aliens.

News Flash:

America's needs not being met by having all these free-loading illegal alians in America!

Here's an idea...Go Home! Have your OWN government meet your needs.

Stupid wacky reporters hiding illegal aliens behind immigrants.

Illegal "Immigrants" Aliens = Criminal

Immigrants = Welcome to America!

Big difference!

Dixie

America's needs not being met by having all these free-loading illegal alians in America!

My thoughts exactly.