Editorial - A Local Look at illegal immigrants who work in our area

Truth or fiction? Behind every successful local business is a hard working (illegal) immigrant

This is a story of our melting pot, the debate about how to embrace and/or remove illegal immigrants and the reality of local, Essex County workers who fall on both sides of this messy issue.

What is the solution to the immigration problem here in the U.S.? It's a touchy subject, but impacts us locally too.
Diane Lilli
Posted

One immigration lawyer weighs in on issue

It seems like it's becoming more widely accepted across political lines that it makes sense to invest in immigrants who live and work in our communities.”
Tanya Broder of the National Immigration Law Center

There are over 11 million illegal immigrants living and working in the U.S. today. It is no wonder it's a topic of major debate.

Some argue it is necessary and good for the economy while others claim it takes jobs away from Americans.

Going out to dinner opened my eyes to a national debate, and had me ask: With so many illegal immigrants working in our local restaurants, and doing a fantastic job, is it time to embrace the idea of helping them become legal American citizens? What is the right thing to do - and how do we balance the numbers? This is a personal story that lead me to thinking about a national issue.

The Aha Moment

Every course was served with a quiet, professional flair.

No dirty dish or dropped forked (there were several!) was missed.
After a while, I decided to observe more closely. Was our busboy, really a grown, handsome man, Spanish or South American or Mexican?
He told me he is Mexican, and moved here 7 years ago. He and his wife and children rent an apartment locally, and he has worked in the restaurant business, 6 or 7 days a week, often doing double shifts, for the entire 7 years.
When I asked him if he could tell me, off the record, if he was "legal" he laughed.
"I am legal in so many ways, and I want to a real American," he said. "This is our home. Do you think any of the places around here have "real" Americans doing dishes, cleaning up, clearing tables, or even cooking?" he asked.
Come to think of it, no, I did not think that. Except for some chains, it did seem that most local spots are run not on the efforts of many people who hail from other countries.
"My family is American now, and I would love to be a full American, because I love my country," he whispered, smiling.
As I looked around, I saw clearly that he is not alone.
All the key personnel, with the exception for the waiters, who did nothing more than take orders, since the others brought out the food,
were obviously from other countries. And, the service and feel of this restaurant was just stellar.
So I decided to take a little survey. Since I am a food writer as well as a journalist, I though it would be fantastic to mix the two worlds.
In West Essex, the general vibe of most people I interview is anti-immigration.
In Montclair, the vibe is the opposite, and more of a "bring more diverse people to our area" opinion.
In Nutley, the opinions I heard on the matter were mixed but firmly in favor of allowing immigrants to come here, work hard, and become Americans.
I visited 11 cafes and restaurants in Montclair; 7 in the Caldwells and 7 in Nutley.
Lo and behold: only 2 spots had Americans doing the bussing, cleaning, and often times, serving.
Why?
Wishing to keep managers and staff anonymous, as is prudent, I got some answers.
"American kids do not want to clear tables or wash floors, and when they do, they stink at it," said one cafe owner.
"Every person I hire - and I pay them minimum wage by the way - is a very hard working person," added another manager of a large restaurant. "Many are immigrants trying to become Americans."
"Are you kidding?," asked on laughing owner. "Who do you think really runs our restaurants? These people who come here for a better life are doing all the jobs Americans do not want - and its a shame but it is reality."
The Debate about Immigration
There are over 11 million illegal immigrants living and working in the U.S. today. It is no wonder it's a topic of major debate. But do these illegal immigrants take away jobs from many Americans and if so, how? Turns out that it's not college or even high school educated Americans who may suffer - but instead, unskilled laborers.
Some argue it is necessary and good for the economy while others claim it takes jobs away from Americans.
Does it take away jobs for Americans?
Economist and writer Adam Davidson, a correspondent at National Public Radio (NPR), wrote he believes the positive impact of illegal immigrants far outweighs the negatives.
"Many economists say the effect of an estimated 11 million undocumented workers is minimal," he wrote. "While illegal immigrants have a negative impact on unskilled workers — many of whom lack technical training or a high school diploma — economists believe that overall, the American economy benefits a small amount from illegal immigration — a little bit less than 1 percent... That finding... suggests that neither side of the immigration issue has a strong economic argument to make."
However, Davidson points out there are two sides to this fiscal reality.
"Illegal immigration has both negative and positive impacts on different parts of the economy" he further noted. "Wages for low-skilled workers go down. But that means the rest of America benefits by paying lower prices for things like restaurant meals, agricultural produce and construction. Another negative impact is on government expenditures. Since undocumented workers generally don't pay income taxes but do use schools and other government services, they are seen as a drain on government spending.
There are places in the United States where illegal immigration has big effects (both positive and negative). But economists generally believe that when averaged over the whole economy, the effect is a small net positive. Harvard's George Borjas says the average American's wealth is increased by less than 1 percent because of illegal immigration.
The economic impact of illegal immigration is far smaller than other trends in the economy, such as the increasing use of automation in manufacturing or the growth in global trade. Those two factors have a much bigger impact on wages, prices and the health of the U.S. economy."

For now, this major topic of debate rages on, but in our local area, I must say the workers who prepare many of our restaurant meals or clean up or work in numerous jobs including landscaping and housecleaning seem to be assets to our community.

The issue of how to accept or reject illegal immigrants cannot be solved here - but perhaps with further research I can offer more information to create a less politicized and more accurate view of our "other" Americans.

Taxes

A New Jersey - New York Chef and restaurant owner weighed in about taxes, and whether or not "illegal" immigrants pay taxes. He said workers do pay taxes, and believes most do this especially in New York City and even here in Essex County. Owners would have "illegal" immigrants apply for Tax ID numbers and then they would pay into the system, though he said not ALL employees actually filed tax returns. However, taxes were paid weekly from their checks.

Truthfully, I cannot imagine or embrace a country without the diversity and voice of other nations - and I see first hand what a wonderful addition immigrants are to our everyday lives, right here in Essex County.
How to help them pay taxes and become legal is another matter.
Pro-Con reports (2008 statistics latest to include):
61% of the population of immigrants in the United States illegally in 2008 was from Mexico; 14% from El Salvador, Guatemala, Brazil, Honduras, and Ecuador; 8% from India, Korea, China, and the Philippines; while 17% were from all other countries.2008 population studies indicated that 40% of all US brickmason, blockmason, and stonemason positions are held by immigrants in the United States illegally, as are 31% of roofer positions, 28% of dishwasher positions, and 21% of parking lot attendant positions.