‘If they deport all of us, who will rebuild?’ Undocumented workers could be key to Texas recovery.

The Washington Post ^ | Sept. 04, 2017 | Arelis R. Hernández and Aaron C. Davis

[Hadean]

HOUSTON — Everywhere Samuel Enríquez looks, he can see the work that needs to be done. But because he is in the United States illegally, he knows he can’t earn an official paycheck in this city’s recovery.

The carpenter from El Salvador sits on a curb outside a home improvement store, hoping a passer-by will offer $10 an hour to help rip out sewage-soaked carpets or rotting drywall. Having lived in the United States for a year, he believes Texas is as good a place as any to seek refuge, because that’s where the work is now, even if some government officials want him and others like him to leave the country.

“If they deport all of us, who will rebuild?” says Enríquez, 36, waiting along with about two dozen other laborers seeking work. “We do more for less.”

It will take an army of workers to reconstruct a vast swath of Southeast Texas, including the sprawling metropolis of Houston, that was devastated by Hurricane Harvey. Whether the region can do it without fully embracing workers like Enríquez will soon be put to the test — with reverberations that could be felt nationwide.

[DoughtyOne]

the B.S. is deeper than the water in flooded Texas

[x1stcav]

“If they deport all of us, who will rebuild?”

You fidiot!

We’re Americans. We know how to do this sort of thing better than any other group on the planet.

[TigerClaws]

Americans will rebuild. Americans who are getting paid the market rate without illegal alien labor for their work will rebuild.

[NorthMountain]

“If they deport all of us, who will rebuild?”

AMERICANS will, you dip$#!+. Hijo de puta!

GTFOOMC!!!

[a fool in paradise]

“We do more for less.”

Is it to “code”?

[bgill]

Yeppers. Before Harvey made landfall, I, Captain Obvious, predicted this.

[Kid Shelleen]

If only we had a President who had experience building things. /S

[SpaceBar]

Blacks : who’se gonna pick the cotton
Mexicans : who’se gonna mow the lawn/change hotel bed sheets
China : who’se gonna make all your cheap plastic crap

[fidelis]

So, if guest workers are needed, reinstate the Bracero Program or other legal guest worker problem. It just amazes me that this country can't come up with something that simple and workable.

[Nifster]

Texans and other legal US citizens

[Army Air Corps]

I am long past tired of the idea that American do not perform any kind of dirty, sweaty, physically demanding work. I know far too many citizens who do jobs that would cause many of these “Dreamers” to recoil in pearl-clutching horror.

[EnglishOnly]

YOU just Enjoy your WALK HOME!

Leave the Building to USA

[virgil]

America is full of tradesmen looking for work.

[caligatrux]

Blacks : who’se gonna pick the cotton Mexicans : who’se gonna mow the lawn/change hotel bed sheets China : who’se gonna make all your cheap plastic crap

American teenagers: Whose gonna eat all these Doritos?

[Alberta's Child]

So the WP is suggesting that we can only rebuild Houston using unlicensed, unregulated contractors? LOL.

[ctdonath2]

We built this place from nothing. We can handle rebuilding.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Not to worry, Pedro.

We’ll figure it out.

[Bullish]

We’re Americans, out of many, we are one. We can get along just fine without illegals.

Just watch.

[BobL]

Actually the REAL WORK is going to be in Florida and especially Puerto Rico, at least based on the Irma projections.