US Economic Downturn and Undocumented Workers In California
As the economy’s downturn affects millions of North Americans, you wonder how documented/undocumented immigrants are impacted by it; particularly, when many left friends and families in their home-countries for economic opportunities in the West. Maple Leaf Sikh gave us some insight into how the Punjabi Sikh population is being affected in Canada.
Last week, a KGET news report (view below for video report), focused on the undocumented population in California’s Central Valley. Despite economic hard-times in Kern County, its large undocumented population, who are primarily Latino, has no intention of going back to their home-countries. Regardless of soaring unemployment rates, US economic recession, and a major downturn in California’s construction, service, and agriculture industries, many undocumented workers maintain a tremendous amount of faith in the US economy.
Maria Rubio, an immigrant from Mexico who has a small cleaning-supply business, says:
“I think in our countries it’s worse than here … it’s worse for our kids because they don’t have future. And they have better opportunities here … I am staying here. My kids were born here and I am not afraid, I can’t be afraid of the future.”
The news report says, “Immigrants say it is even harder to get a job in their countries and they also fear not being able to reenter the U.S., or support their families back home”.
Robert Payares said, “Before I send money for Mexico… maybe every month $200. Now I say, sorry I have to send $50”.
Dr. Jess Nieto, a CSUB professor, believes the slow-down in the major industries that employee undocumented workers will just force these workers to take lower paying jobs. He says, “They will probably just end up finding jobs that just don’t pay as well. But again these are much better jobs than the jobs they will find back home”.
Thus, the responsibilities that many immigrants hold on their shoulders of supporting family back-home, while working for a future full of more opportunities for their children far outweighs the costs of the economic downturn in America.
