Recession, Anti-Immigrant Laws Hurt Day Laborers Arizona

While these day laborers are waiting for work, they are studying English with volunteer teachers. The economy has hurt them, but knowing English gives them a better chance of getting work. - - Donna Poisl

By Maria Leon

TUCSON, ARIZONA – The economic crisis and anti-immigrant laws that have been approved in Arizona have become a lethal combination for manual laborers, who day by day are finding that they have fewer work options.

“Each day we see more laborers and less available work for them,” Josefina Ahumada, a social worker and head of the day laborer program at Tucson’s Southside Presbyterian Church, the only such program in the city, told Efe on Wednesday.

Each day, between 40 and 50 laborers come to the church starting at 5 a.m. in the hopes of landing work that will earn them a few dollars.

While the workers wait for an employer to arrive to request their services, they receive English classes from volunteer teachers.

“They teach them the most common words used in jobs like construction and gardening,” said Ahumada.
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