Thread: LA skid row immigrant population grows

L.A.'s Skid Row Immigrant Population Grows
By PAUL CHAVEZ, Associated Press Writer
1 hour ago

LOS ANGELES - A shadow population lives among the estimated 14,000 homeless on Skid Row.

A growing number of immigrants are bedding down each night in parks, abandoned buildings and cardboard boxes, finding refuge in camouflaged encampments under freeway overpasses and bridges.

Mostly from Mexico and Central America, many entered the United States illegally in search of a steady job _ and fell far short. They largely shun the free meals and beds offered on Skid Row, and according to service providers are less likely to be drug addicted or mentally disturbed than other homeless in the destitute area on the fringe of downtown.

"Our Spanish-speaking immigrant homeless feel uncomfortable going to existing shelters because of the language barrier or fear of violence," said the Rev. Steve Niskanen of downtown's La Placita Church.

Though there is no official count, like the population of immigrants nationally, the homeless immigrant population is growing, according to people who interact with and serve them.

The homeless immigrant problem dates to the mid-1980s when unaccompanied youths from Central America, some as young as 9, started entering the country, said the Rev. Richard Estrada, executive director of Jovenes Inc., an outreach center and shelter for homeless immigrant youths.

"The vast majority are looking for work, and they are decent people. They want to send money home," Estrada said. "If you listen to them and hear their stories, they are not coming here because they want to abuse the social welfare system, they are simply here because they want to work."

One of those immigrants is Jose Ramirez, who entered the country illegally less than a year ago from Jalisco, Mexico.

Ramirez, 23, came to Los Angeles with a sixth-grade education. As a day laborer, he can make about $80 a day working construction jobs, far more than the $13 a day he would earn in Mexico.

He sleeps under a bridge and at Dolores Mission Church east of downtown because he can't afford to rent an apartment. He still sends half of what he earns to younger brothers in Mexico, whom he wants to stay in school and get ahead.

"I thought it would be better here," Ramirez said in Spanish. "But no matter what, life is better here than there."

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

In 5 years if this is not stopped, our streets will look like the streets of Calcutta!

Note that this article DID mention that they come with little to no education (are these the kinds of immigrants we want? Or do we want the scientists and engineers?). Additionally, I would like to know the cost of living in Mexico: the article claims they can make $80 a day here to $13 a day there.....but what does $13 a day buy there? Everything I've heard in the financial markets about the US dollar is how far it is sinking in relation to other currencies. The article also did NOT say the man in question could make "$13 a day in construction in Mexico." It just said $13 a day....doing what? Maybe they should finish their educations and go for the higher paying jobs there that do exist?

Nittygritty, love the crying Avitar.

It scares me too. At the rate they're giving this country away I'm afraid I'll be one of the homeless living in a cardboard box.

I remember from as early as 1977 seeing people sleeping on the streets of Mexico City looking sober and wearing clean clothes. They were sending money to their home villages and they could not afford paid housing which costs triple in the city what it does in the country. The long term American homeless often have substance abuse or mental health problems. Many of the homeless are just experiencing temporary circumstances. The same type of circumstance seen in Mexico City has increasingly moved here with the illegals. Americans are being displaced from housing and a lot of the illegal Mexicans can not really make it off what they can pick up.

With all the illegals rushing the border, it is only going to get worse. It's a real "Grapes of Wrath" type situation. Clearly there is not enough work to go around when you have the homeless population of illegals and day laborer pools getting bigger every day. That's why it makes me CRAZY when I hear how we need to not only keep the ones who are here but let millions more in via the proposed amnesty! Folks, there's only so many jobs. Moreover, the guy who jumps the border tonight may be willing to work cheaper than the guy who jumped the border last week. It's a real race to the bottom, and our government wants to feed the problem. I wonder how long before many of these homeless illegals have to resort to petty crime or alternative means of support when they can't get a job. It's a real social calamity in the making.

We do not need a temporary worker program which part of that does Bush not get. We have enough people in this country out of work, let's deal with them first then decide what we need if any.

Mexico's corrupt government has exploited and manipulated these uneducated people into being the #2 GDP which is slated to become
#1 GDP over Oil this year!

2damendsis, that is one of the MANY reasons Mexico is not our "friendly neighbor to the South" or however the Decider likes to express it. They have ZERO incentive to stop illegal immigration to the US and every reason to keep it going right now. GRRR!!

I wonder how long before many of these homeless illegals have to resort to petty crime or alternative means of support when they can't get a job

Alot already do!! They sell drugs, smuggle guns and do ALOT of robbery and stealing. There really isn't a mass NEED for all these people. Maybe in agriculture where getting the crops in quickly knowing it is a temporary thing.......but for the life of me there is no NEED in alot of these other areas. There are enough people to do the job. What on earth is the point of having a minimum wage or safety rules or anything else if ALL that matters is the profit in BIG BUSINESS, and all they have to do is hire them and leave us in the street? They may as well pack up and go to another country. It's still outsourcing for cheap labor. They're just doing it right in our own country! What scares me is what are the American people going to be forced into when most our jobs are gone? What levels will be be forced to degrade to in order to survive?