Posted on 12/17/2016 12:02:11 PM PST by Timpanagos1
Though it's illegal, brothers Israel and José Martinez have no shortage of work, moving from one construction job to the next in the ongoing building boom of Central Texas. They’ve worked on homes in affluent communities along the Upper Colorado River and renovated sprawling apartments in North Austin. They were on a crew that erected a new health center at a high-end retirement community, and as expert masons have built luxury pools, interior chimneys and backyard grilling stations.
Their compensation often falls below minimum wage. They might receive just $90 for a 14-hour workday, or about $6.42 an hour — and that’s when they do get paid. On more than a few occasions, the brothers have gone days, weeks and even months without receiving payment for their grueling labor.
In all their years in Texas, Israel and José — pseudonyms, since both asked that their real names not be published — have experienced a lot. One thing they say they haven’t seen: U.S. citizens doing the heavy lifting on construction projects.
“We’ve never seen any Americans carrying cement, picking up stone, working from sunup to sundown,” Israel said. “Never.”
(Excerpt) Read more at texastribune.org ...
The crackdown on these workers and the construction companies that hire them should begin as soon as Trump becomes president and the penalty should be deportation for the illegal immigrant workers and revocation of all licenses and building permits for the construction companies that hire the illegals.
[There are plenty of Americans who would be happy to carry cement and pick up stone from sunup to sundown for $6.42 an hour.]
The main problem is an endless supply of illegals drive wages down to that level.
And these wages are the reason Jorge Busho kept the borders open for crimigrants. He wanted to reward his Texas business buddies, don't you know?
From what I’ve heard some (maybe many or most) of these crews are gangs, they refuse to hire Americans. No Americans are permitted and the gangs are just as or more brutal than the unions.
Employ illegals?
You go to federal jail, and ALL of your assets are forfeited, period.
Enforce that, and illegals jumping the border goes to zero.
Paid under the table so NO Taxes are paid by anyone ?
That's because you're working on job sites that hire people such as yourself, Israel.
Almost everyone of the big meat processors especially, and food processors in general, routinely violate immigration laws. Almost every one.
Who did the design, the coordinating of materials and the procurement bidding?
Bet it wasn't Paco and Julio.
Should be easy enough for our politicians to crackdown on the employers, but I guess that would make for too many uncomfortable moments at the country club.
That's because in the petrochemical field, for one, they're legally fabricating pipe, erecting steel and welding for wages around $25.00-34.00/hr.
Do you get it now, esay? Turn in your employers if you're really mad. You can do that anonymously too.
“There are plenty of Americans who would be happy to carry cement and pick up stone from sunup to sundown for $6.42 an hour.”
Really????...you get up to $275 unemployment a week in Florida.
“Please step into the van, Jose and Israel...”
>> There are plenty of Americans who would be happy to carry cement and pick up stone from sunup to sundown for $6.42 an hour hang drywall, frame buildings, lay block, operate excavation equipment, work in; oilfields, manufacturing, trucking, meat processing etc etc etc
“One thing they say they haven’t seen: U.S. citizens doing the heavy lifting on construction projects.”
It’s true..but it’s more the fault of the contractors scamming with illegal labor..they are the ones who need to be in jail...
Never mind.
Tried to point this out to my dad (who grew up when America was still great) with a sarcastic comment about needing to dress up as a Mexican to get work at a construction company...and the old goat ripped me a new one.
These illegals either work under the table for cash (NO TAXES) or they get 1099s and trash them, or they get a payroll check and they claim 6-10 dependents and pay NO state or Federal income taxes. The only thing in that case they’d pay would be FICA on their fake SSANs.
When we were helping to rebuild Germany and Japan we should have had a Marshall Plan in place to build up Mexico and Central America too. I think that was one of our big blunders over the past few decades from a foreign policy standpoint. Mexico is rich in natural resources, and has the potential to be a very rich country, but like any nation that has a Spanish heritage, it’s a freaking mess politically. The United States and North America as a whole would be in far better shape with an economically viable and politically stable Mexico.
Oh btw once the firmly constitutional federal whistleblower laws are extended to reporting illegals, yeah buy-bye...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.