WLBT 3 - Jackson, MS: Undocumented workers impact Mississippi's economy

Undocumented workers impact Mississippi's economy

By Monica Hernandez - bio | email | twitter

JACKSON, MS (WLBT) - A group of men head to their cars at dusk after leaving the Jackson construction site where they work. In Spanish, the men admit, they are in the United States illegally.

Hector, from Durango, Mexico, has been in the U.S. for three years. He asked Three On Your Side to use only his first name.

He's one of an estimated 35,000 unauthorized immigrants in Mississippi.

"I came here because in Mexico it's hard to find work," said Hector, in Spanish. I spent two months without work, and I had three young children. There was no money, and we had nothing to eat. It was very hard."

But so is finding the American dream. Hector found work, but he also found racism, even suffering an assault.

"It's all the time," said Hector, referring to discrimination he faces.

At a time when unemployment is nearly 9 percent in MS and 9.5 percent nationwide, Hector believes the discrimination stems from a belief that undocumented workers are taking jobs from Americans.

"We're not taking jobs away," said Hector. "There's work here. There's a lot of work… There's a lot of folks who don't want to do hard, manual labor."

But some who are looking for work feel differently. Stephen Henderson of Florence believes he would still have a job in the pipeline industry if it weren't for undocumented workers. He was laid off in July.

"It's kind of hard to find a job around here because of illegal immigrants and people who hire illegal immigrants," said Henderson.

But according to some immigration advocates, one illegal immigrant leaving doesn't necessarily mean one free job for an American.

Darrell Brazzle of Pearl, who was laid off from his job at a local shipping company 6 weeks ago, agrees.

"If you round up everyone and send them back to where you say they belong, does that guarantee I'll get a job tomorrow? I don't think so," said Brazzle.

While some blame illegal immigration for high unemployment rates, others say the economy would fall apart without unauthorized workers.

One Rankin County business owner who didn't want his identity revealed said he wouldn't have been able to operate his business without undocumented workers. He said it has nothing to do with cost; he paid them just as much as his other workers. It had to do with the quality of work."

 But there is a way to bring migrant workers in legally.

Cade Trisler is an expert.

"I have a valid legal workforce," said Trisler, of Trisler Landscape Management. "We're doing it the right way."

Trisler's workers are here on visas through a government program that allows employers to hire workers from other countries as long as they advertise those jobs to Americans first.

"It's hard to find Americans here locally who want to go out there and dig ditches and dig holes and do this hard physical labor," said Trisler. "We strive to get Americans and we put an ad in the paper, and we usually don't get any applicants, even for the ad."

Obtaining the H-2A/H-2B visas is a costly, time-consuming process. Employers are required to foot the bill for migrant workers' housing and travel and pay at least minimum wage. 

But according to Trisler, it's worth it. Without migrant workers, he would have to scale down his landscaping business.

"I think it's a misconception that Americans see Spanish workers and think, they're taking my job. They're getting paid, $5, $6 an hour. And I promise you, any employer that values their employees... we pay them what them what they're worth," said Trisler.

Dan Bremer is the director of AgWorks, Inc., a company that helps employers obtain H-2A/H-2B visas for migrant workers. Bremer estimates there are about 100 employers in the state of Mississippi who use the program to bring in legal foreign workers.

As for undocumented workers, the Pew Hispanic Center estimates they make up a little over 5 percent of the workforce nationwide.

"It's a lot of sacrifice. And before you judge anybody who's here legally or illegally, look at them as a person. Judge them by what's on the inside," said Trisler.

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