NY Wiki

Many LIers Laud Eased Restrictions

By Martin C. Evans
STAFF WRITER. Staff writers Theresa Vargas, Collin Nash, Mitchell Freedman and Pat Burson contributed to this story.

2004 January 08

President George W. Bush's guest worker proposal to ease restrictions on
immigrant labor drew praise from a broad swath of Long Islanders, who said the
policy would be a boon for employers, while protecting the rights of immigrant
workers.

The proposal found supporters among immigrant workers and business groups,
although a few advocates warned that the announcement may be a ploy to
attract Hispanic voters.

"A guest worker program is just what the doctor ordered," said Mardythe DiPirro,
executive director of the Peconic Community Council. "It will throw light on the
black market economy and put money into Social Security. And it is very
important for personal security, too, accounting for thousands of people on Long
Island who were formerly invisible."

Cesar Morales, 32, who came from Mexico a year ago and looks for odd jobs in
Farmingville, said the policy could lift suspicion that often burdens day laborers.
"The United States government is giving us an opportunity to prove we're not
criminals, we're not terrorists," Morales said yesterday in Spanish. "We want to
work."

Bringing undocumented workers into the legal fold will make them less
vulnerable to exploitation by contractors, worker advocates said. That is because
they often are reluctant to report employers who refuse to pay them or
otherwise abuse them, fearing that they could be deported.

But some Long Islanders said the new policy would legitimize illegal immigration,
attracting more foreign workers whose needs will undermine the quality of life on
Long Island.

Ray Wysolmierski, whose Farmingville community has attracted scores of
undocumented workers, called Bush's announcement "Hispandering," - pandering
to Hispanics. "I think it's about the worst thing that could have happened," said
Wysolmierski, of Sachem Quality of Life, a group that has protested illegal
immigration.

"You can expect twice as many illegals now. ... I'll tell you what the logical
extension of this is, we annex Mexico and give everyone dual citizenship and
there will be no jobs for anybody," he said.

Michael Davidson, executive director of the Glen Cove Chamber of Commerce,
said although many Long Islanders are uneasy about immigrant workers, they
benefit from the cheap labor.

Brad Rosen, chief executive of Aerobic Wear Inc., agreed. "There's a ravenous
demand for workers in low-level service jobs," said Rosen, whose company is
across a recruitment site. "It's not uncommon to have as many as 200 guys out
there and believe me, they all get hired."

Staff writers Theresa Vargas, Collin Nash, Mitchell Freedman and Pat Burson
contributed to this story.

Copyright © 2004, Newsday, Inc.