Guestworker program fed by network of recruiters who often extort from Mexican migrants

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Saturday, May 26, 2007

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By TRACI CARL, Associated Press Writer

MONTERREY, Mexico — Standing in the baking sun outside the U.S. Consulate in Monterrey, hundreds of Mexicans wait anxiously for temporary work visas. But even before they were fingerprinted and interviewed for the permit, many had already paid recruiters thousands of dollars in hopes of easing the way.

Supplying the U.S. guestworker program is a complex and sometimes criminal network of foreign recruiters who extort money from poor migrants and then keep them on the job by forcing them into debt or threatening their families back home.

Employers also are often at the recruiters’ mercy, forced to accept workers who could be desperately in debt or simply wrong for the job.

And when their brief glimpse of the American dream becomes a nightmare, some legal guest workers simply disappear, melting into the growing U.S. population of illegal immigrants.

“Everyone has the same complaint. Everyone you see here is in debt,” said Gilberto Escalante, a 41-year-old fisherman who swept his arm past at a crowd of migrant hopefuls waiting for visas outside the consulate in Monterrey. “But there aren’t any other options. The company calls the recruiter direct, and the recruiter has all the power.”

All employers need to do to secure federal permission to hire foreign workers is provide proof that no American wants the job. Once that request is granted, companies rely on recruiters to do the rest, and the U.S. government stands back.

Critics argue the program desperately needs oversight and protections for both employers and workers, but demands for such an overhaul appear to have been ignored in the Senate’s tentative immigration reform proposal.

2 comment(s)

View from Afar wrote on May 27, 2007 1:58 PM:

" To Quote: "All employers need to do to secure federal permission to hire foreign workers is provide proof that no American wants the job. Once that request is granted, companies rely on recruiters to do the rest, and the U.S. government stands back." We all know this is a canard..a lie, a fabrication, an excuse, a lame justification to hire illegals who ask for less money and no benefits so they can be here under the table & w/out observation and so employers can save $ by paying below market wages. A lose lose lose situation for the workers and American taxpayers and those citizens who are unemployed. Why do Register (and other) writers continue to quote this tired phrase for any reason? It no longer adds to the story in any way because we all know (those ofus who admit it) that it is a lie perpetrated on the American populace in hopes that someone out there still ignorant enough to believe it, will not question illegals in this country. I am not concerned about the (suggested) plight of out mexicans who want to come here....stay home...improve your own government, your own country and become a part of the solution for your own environment; rather than part of the problem for that of the United States of America. Enough crying poor and pitiful....just stay home and work to better your opportunities there. "

Tom wrote on May 27, 2007 3:01 PM:

" So all I have to do for a permit to hire guest workers is show that no American wants the job? Great! Rather than pay $28 per hour I'll offer only minimum wage then start whining that I can't find any employees. Soon I'll have a labor force working for slave wages while I pocket the difference. Of course my employees won't be able to afford their own housing earning only minimum wage so I'll use some of my wage savings to lobby our local government to build free housing for them. And of course they won;t have their own health insurace so they'll need to use the emergency room for any and all ailments. But what do I care, I won't be able to see the local neighborhoods turned into shanty-towns from my house. What a great system! "

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