Thread: Passaic closes state's first city-sanctioned day laborer

Ok, there is no longer work for Illegals. Can they please leave now? Thanks

Passaic closes state's first city-sanctioned day laborer hiring center," not "Maybe they will get the hint"

PASSAIC -- New Jersey's first city-sanctioned day laborer hiring center has closed, a victim of the faltering economy, poor management and a loss of city support, organizers said.

A sign reading "United Day Laborers" was removed earlier this week from the small storefront office on Parker Avenue in Passaic. The center opened to much fanfare in January 2007, built with city-donated materials and the sweat-equity of volunteer day laborers.


Google Maps
United Day Laborers of Passaic center on Parker Ave. in Passaic
The loss of the hiring center comes as the ranks of out-of-work day laborers continue to swell across the state.

The struggle to scrape together the $500 monthly rent from workers who barely earn enough to cover personal expenses proved nearly impossible, said center leader Fabian Galindo. A recent threat of court action by the building's owner for more than $1,500 in unpaid back rent was the final straw, he said.

"I feel a bit bad, a bit frustrated by all the people that promised things," Galindo said in Spanish. "The candidates who promise things when they're running, but don't comply when they realize most of us are not voters; the organizations that offer but then don't help; the representatives from my government (Mexico) who didn't collaborate with us, and not being a documented immigrant myself, I was only able to take things so far."

Galindo said he and others tried to keep the center afloat, holding raffles, hosting pay-per-view cable boxing match nights and reaching out to churches and local organizations for help. He said dreams of getting the center nonprofit status, offering English classes, worker safety training, identification cards and other services for day laborers and their families were never realized for lack of funds.

Galindo concedes that contractors rarely, if ever, used the center, which was meant to be an organized hiring system that would supplant the chaotic method of having dozens of workers surround any car that pulled over.

The idea for the Passaic center came during the height of both the construction boom and a nascent immigrant rights movement that culminated in nationwide marches.

As contractors sought out cheap labor for construction jobs and landscaping, day laborer populations exploded in cities and towns across the U.S., and many grappled with how best to deal with their growing numbers. Passaic, a tiny, densely populated area just minutes from New York City, was no different.

But while other New Jersey municipalities passed anti-loitering ordinances aimed at day laborer gathering areas, former Passaic Mayor Samuel Rivera pushed for building a hiring hall and heralded it as a humane approach to dealing with the growing day laborer population. Rivera removed city parking spaces from the front of the center so contractors could pull up to it, and instructed the police not to give loitering tickets to day laborers who used it.

Rivera has since gone to prison on federal corruption charges. Current Passaic Mayor Alex Blanco -- re-elected earlier this week -- has said in the past he supports the center, but could not dedicate any city funds to it in the current economy.

Several day laborers said they watched the sign come down with a tinge of sadness, but blamed infighting, lack of experience and inconsistent management of the facility on the highly transient day laborer population.

"I am disappointed, nobody participated," Cesar Garcia, a 24-year-old day laborer from Mexico, said in Spanish. "The center was working in that the police stopped bothering us; they'd say: 'Move along, go to the center,' instead of ticketing us. I think we only have ourselves to blame that we didn't have enough know-how to sustain it."


http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/0 ... st_ci.html

Well there is some good news. Less are coming and many are leaving.

Originally Posted by swatchick

Well there is some good news. Less are coming and many are leaving.

Disappointed they can't lay down more roots by expanding what they offer the other illegals.
Well I'm glad to see it fold and hopefully more will leave America due to it.
Being here is illegal!

Oh so sad ............

Well, what were they to expect, the gravy train does not go on forever, there has to be an end to it all eventually, and when you force your way onto it, well, it can get overloaded and come to a terrible crash, which is exactly what has happened in the country.

ahhh, yes. Sweet satisfaction. Self deportation thru attrition (or circumstances) and the silver lining in a bad economy.

Hasta La Vista, Baby.

"I feel a bit bad, a bit frustrated by all the people that promised things," Galindo said in Spanish. "The candidates who promise things when they're running, but don't comply when they realize most of us are not voters; the organizations that offer but then don't help; the representatives from my government (Mexico) who didn't collaborate with us, and not being a documented immigrant myself, I was only able to take things so far."

First, speak English.
Second, candidates owe their allegiance to the American public, not to illegal immigrant non-voters. Why were you surprised?
Third, representatives from Mexico didn't collaborate? Do you understand that Mexican representatives govern Mexico, not the U.S.?

Originally Posted by ReggieMay

"I feel a bit bad, a bit frustrated by all the people that promised things," Galindo said in Spanish. "The candidates who promise things when they're running, but don't comply when they realize most of us are not voters; the organizations that offer but then don't help; the representatives from my government (Mexico) who didn't collaborate with us, and not being a documented immigrant myself, I was only able to take things so far."

Third, representatives from Mexico didn't collaborate? Do you understand that Mexican representatives govern Mexico, not the U.S.?

He must think the North American Union is already here.

I think someone has told them the border is gone already....but then remember what Calderon said, "where their is a Mexican, there is Mexico"