Mackenro Alexander

IDSC 2190
December 3, 2014

IMMIGRATION
My topic choice was resources/rights for migrants workers in United States I
chose this subject because I can relate because of my parents. Both my parents are migrant
workers from Haiti that have in different agriculture fields.
There are many problems that immigrants have but the more broad problem is that
they are immigrants so people feel like they shouldnt be on the US soil for being born in a
another country. So thats where racism and discrimination kicks in. They cant get the same
services or jobs such as others all because they are immigrants so they settle for lower class
things like housings and jobs and thats where being a fieldworker comes in. So they work in the
sun picking fruits and vegetables for hours in the sun without breaks. All because they arent
educated about the working system. The crew leaders are aware of the immigrants ignorance
but the workers wont complain because they know they have no power and that come with
being an immigrant. Another problem is the health issues due to working in the fields with
chemicals/pesticides some workers refuse to work but employers often take advantage of
these workers threatening to turn them over to immigration officials if they speak out. Another
issue is child labor. One time I went to work with my dad just to get a perfect view how hard
field working is and it was one of the toughest things. I saw several children working just like

me but they have no choice unlike me who just volunteered. They were working for an actual
living because their families were struggling.
This problem is interdisciplinary because of the issue of migrants workers rights involves
several disciplines. Below I listed the disciplines involved.
1. anthropology
2. political science
3. sociology
4. criminal justice
5. health
6. human resources
7. law

Bacon, D. (2004). Be Our Guests. Nation, 279(9), 22-28.

In the article Be Our Guests David Bacon brings up numerous facts, and disturbing
findings of what goes on behind the scenes in the world of illegal immigrants. Bacon starts off
his article with a story of what one worker went through during their experience as a U.S.
migrant worker. The story came from a worker in an immigrant system in North Carolina, and is
very similar to the stories of many other workers who came across the border for work. In the
case of Julio Cesar Guerrero, in 2001, he was punished for simply going to the
doctor. Immigrant workers are warned to stay away from doctors and immigrant legal aid or

their jobs could be at stake. Ignoring the warnings previously given, Guerrero, went and saw a
doctor to see why his fingers were in such pain, and his fingernails were falling off. His
punishment came the next season. Guerrero when to get a job the next year, but found that he
was unable to. Guerrero had been blacklisted. After much work and protesting Guerrero was
sent back to work on a field where the workers were required to chase after trucks with their
mouths open and drink out of the spigot as the truck was still moving. Feeling that this was
unfair, and unusual Guerrero again ignored the previous warnings and went to legal aid, only
this time the outcome wasnt; as pleasant. He was asked to sign a waiver that he could not read
agreeing that he had left his job sight. Although he left because they had forced him to, they
tried to force him to sign a paper stating that he had left on his own. Because he did not agreed
he was black listed for good because he was given a second chance and again broke the rules.
That was just one of the many different examples of unfair conditions. Bacon then goes on to
compare migrant working conditions in the U.S. and the conditions in Canada. Both situations
were bad, however the U.S. definitely had the most room for improvement. And finally Bacon
provides information about what is being done to help the workers situations. Its not all bad.
He states are workers are now offer the chance for legalization once they have been in the U.S.
for 5 years and been working for 2. With this system they are not stuck in immigrant work for
the rest of their lives.

Damico, N. (2008). Its Time for The King to Do the Right Thing. Network News. Pp.14-15
This article is basically talking about how Burger King refuses to make an agreement to
help immigrant farm workers. Damico addresses straight slavery in Immokaleee, Florida. There
farmworkers were held against their will in locked trucks, their feet were chained, and they
were beaten- all for saying they wanted to look for work with another employer. This inspired
protests against Burger Kings role in the poverty wages of farmworkers and modern day
slavery they face in the fields harvesting for the fast food and grocery industries. This is not the
first case to be brought up concerning this topic. In 2005 Yum Brands, company in charge of
Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut and many others, came to agreement to pay farm workers more per
pound of tomatoes that Taco Bell purchased. This type of agreement makes it so theyre not
just raising wages, theyre raising wages on amount of product purchased making it so they
cannot just go out and find other workers that will work for cheaper. In 2007 McDonalds came
to a different type of agreement where there is a third-party entity to monitor conditions in the
fields. Despite these major companies reaching these agreements, Burger King still refuses to.
This is very bad because immigrant workers, farmworkers especially, have basically no human
rights and cant complain to anyone so their wages have stayed pretty much the same since
1980, even though the cost of living has gone up since then. Also against these agreements is
that growers and growing corporations who have collected together and threatened to fine any
grower who participates in one of these agreements.

Tobar, H, H. (1988). No Rights for Migrant Workers. Nation, 247(6), 196-198.

Tobar basically wrote this article about how laws that were supposed to stop
immigration and limit undocumented workers from getting jobs, have actually probably made
immigrant workers more valuable for companies to employ, and made the undocumented
immigrant workers themselves vulnerable to being treated unfairly. The law most talked about
in this article is IRCA (Immigration Reform and Control Act), which was passed in 1986 and
mostly it only penalizes employers by fining them per worker on a first offense then second
offense system. By doing this, it originally made those workers unwanted, but then it turned
into that those types of workers were stripped of their human rights by this law, which created
a new class of immigrants so desperate for work that they will accept increasingly substandard
wages and working conditions. These immigrants feel that they are unwelcome to work in this
country and that that means they have no rights, even their human rights which are supposedly
guaranteed. Some states, like Alabama in particular, have passed laws that actually remove
labor protection laws from undocumented workers, making them even more vulnerable. On
the original IRCA law, there was a grandfather clause that said that immigrant workers
already in a job will be allowed to keep their job legally, but this only applies to that particular
job under that particular employer, so the worker is unable to get and keep a new job legally in
this country. This puts them even more vulnerable to unfair conditions and treatment by their
employer, who knows they have no other choice but to keep working there. Another bad thing
about the vulnerability of workers because of this law is that employers can decide who to hire
and fire at any time for whatever reason they choose because they dont have to follow rules
set by Congress. Congress is not very willing to help these immigrants either because they

dont really like to deal with civil rights issues because they only really help those who cant
vote (nonwhite, undocumented immigrants) while hurting Congressmens major funding from
wealthy voters. Another major problem with laws like IRCA is that because it makes jobs
harder to come by, families that used to survive by pooling 3 or 4 salaries are lucky to now get
1, making more homeless and hungry families. Some of the workers have banded together,
even though there is no real organization for it, and refuse to work for less than $5 per day, as a
way to help raise wages for all of them.

Clarke, K. (2007). Be Our Guest?. U.S. atholic 72(5), 38.

The subheading of this article written by Kevin Clarke, Be Our Guest?, basically sums up
his entire article. He states, The U.S, should be a good host and protect the migrant workers
who knock on our door. Clarke feels as though it is ridiculous that we, as a nation, go into
other countries and basically force their citizens to come work for us, but then treat them so
poorly. Yes, they are making greater sums of money than they would make at home, but that is
no reason to treat people as they are unworthy. Clarke feels as if our government here is who
really has control. They need to put laws in places to set the rules straight on how we treat
immigrants. This article is older, so his points he brings up are no longer issues, but one
example he uses is what President Bush was doing at that time to help with this issue. He was
trying to pass a law saying that immigrants would be allowed to come over for a temporary
period, work then go back home. They would no longer be illegal, so they would have the same
rights as the rest of the American citizens. That is just one of many steps that can and should be
taken in order to fix the mess that our ancestors created.

Bacon, D. (2013). The Right to Stay Home: Ending Forced Migration and the Criminalization of
Immigrants. Publishers Weekly. 260(13), 52.

This piece written by David Bacon was extremely short, but went directly to the point. In
this article, The Right to Stay Home: Ending Forced Migration and the Criminalization of
Immigrants, Bacon talks about what causes immigrants to come across the border. He speaks of
the economic factors, health hazards, anti-unionization, low wages, and many other things that
cause the immigrants experiences here to be far from what they deserve. One of the worst
aspects of immigrants coming across the border is that they are not legal. If they get in any sort
of trouble why they are here, speeding ticket, caught without a green card, or anything else at
all they could face severe consequences and deportation. While they suffer through this they
people that forced them to come over get in no trouble at all. Bacon then goes on to suggest
numerous ways to reform the system currently being used. Each would improve the quality of
life for immigrants dramatically. He uses first hand narratives to further prove his point that
was is currently going on is not right.
The conclusion is this there are people who dont get treated properly because the color
of their skin or ethnicity so they end up with low wages jobs where the get cheated by system
while there working for long periods of time but they dont get paid they deserve. Also migrants
work in hazardous chemicals that can be fatal they need IRCA (Immigration Reform and Control
Act) to be more aggressive towards therefore they would be a lot of employees would get
fined or fired so Im pretty sure they would get their act right.

Bacon, D. (2004). Be Our Guests. Nation, 279(9), 22-28.

Damico, N. (2008). Its Time for The King to do the Right Thing. Network News. Pp.14-15
Tobar, H, H. (1988). No Rights for Migrant Workers. Nation, 247(6), 196-198.
Clarke, K. (2007). Be Our Guest? U.S. Catholic 72(5), 38.
Bacon, D. (2013). The Right to Stay Home: Ending Forced Migration and the Criminalization of
Immigrants. Publishers Weekly. 260(13), 52.