Crisis hits Hispanic community hard

Friday 27 February 2009
By Guillaume MEYER (text) / Guillaume MEYER Correspondent, Washington (video)


They are a rather typical sight in suburbs across the United States: men, in their late twenties or early thirties, waiting at the curb for someone to hire them for a day or even for few hours.

All of them are Hispanic immigrants; some are undocumented.

They are day labourers and, for years now, they have accepted pretty much any job. The construction and housing industry provided them with most of the work.

Ive worked for many companies, in construction, landscaping Ive also worked remodeling apartments, says Jorge, an immigrant from Guatemala.

The jobs that Jorge lists are precisely those that are being destroyed first by the current economic downturn.

Experts say that Hispanics have been hit hardest by unemployment since the beginning of the recession. In 2008, unemployment rose to 8% for Hispanics, from 5.1% - a 2.9% increase while the rest of the US population saw an increase of 2%.

Mario Quiroz works at Casa de Maryland in Hyattsville, MD, a facility where immigrants can wait for legitimate and serious employers without staying outside in the cold.

During the housing boom, pretty much everyone who showed up here in the morning would be hired for the day, remembers Quirioz.

Nowadays many spend weeks without working at all. Looking at photos from back home, some wonder if they would not be better off in their native countries. But the downturn can also be an opportunity.

The Casa de Maryland has set up a workshop where immigrants out of work can learn new trades.

Maurizio Martinez hails from El Salvador. He would rather be spending time studying now when jobs are scarce because he believes things will get better thanks to President Barack Obama.

With the economic stimulus package approved by the president, things will get better. I cant find work these days but, since I am taking classes, I will be able to get better-paid jobs later and improve my lifestyle.

Hispanic immigrants were among the first victims of the recession. Educating themselves may be one way to ensure that the next time the US economy plunges they wont be the first to suffer.

Source, France 24 www.france24.com
http://www.france24.com/en/20090227-recession-usa-hispanic-unemployment-crisi...

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• France 24
• Economy

[Kittenkattan]

Okay. I feel bad for these guys. But, what about us? I want to see Americans learn skills like this. What happen to "America First"? Are we going to continue to educate illegal Immigrants instead of our own legally and native born citizens? Where does the money for these programs come from? My tax dollars! Let's start taking care of our own first.

[DrDissent]

kick them all the fuck out. They have about as much right to be here as I have breaking into my neighbors house while they are at work. Hey man I wont mess the place up and Ill only snitch a tiny bit of the food from the fridge. Oh and Ill hide someplace when he comes home from work... I dont want to be a bother.

[machetezone1]

fuck you cracker this is not your land fuck white people

[scootercrazy1]

y cant they stay were they were so they dont have to stay out in the cold hahah give me a break we should be getting those jobs and healthcare not people who are ILLEGAL

[salem2210salem2210]

Obama has hit the Black community very hard. All of his pandering to illegal workers has decimated black job opportunities. We pay taxes, illegals don't. They send all their money out of our economy. Only those who employ illegals make out. In Baltimore, all the road repair goes to all Hispanic crews. The black leaders like Obama, Sharpton, & Jesse Jackson are causing a whole generation to be without hope. Lou Dobbs for El Presidente!

[mikembz1]

fuck you beaners go back to your country wetbags.

[Raycheetah]

Please don't feed the trolls. Especially the pompous ones from out of country. =^[.]^=

[BernardProfitendieu]

no, thank you, redneck!!

[DrDissent]

Your opinion is irrelevant. Now fuck off.

[BernardProfitendieu]

"do not speak unless it improves the silence"

try following your own advice, redneck!!

[BernardProfitendieu]

you, personally, should be the first to suffer, Raycheetah!

As it has been for thousands of years, whenever there is an economic downturn, the most narrowminded of the community are selected to be the first to suffer. YOU, Raycheetah, have been selected as the most narrowminded of the 2008-2009 economic downturn, so YOU get to be the first to suffer. Congratulations. 

Please move to the end of the line behind all illegal immigrants.

Keep Moving, Ray! You're weighing us down!!