
Business owners across East End trades this week said that if newly aggressive federal deportation policies targeting undocumented immigrants overreach, the effect on the local workforce could threaten their businesses’ ability to operate—and could even drag down the local economy as a whole over time.
Owners and employees of a cross-section of medium-sized businesses in the residential development industry—construction, landscaping and residential painting companies with between 15 and 40 full-time employees—all of whom live in Southampton or East Hampton, spoke this week about their concerns.
None would speak on the record by name, for fear of both legal fallout and becoming the focus of public anger in such a volatile climate, but said that the view of the immigrant community’s importance to the local community is often misunderstood or underestimated by others.
Each of the business owners said that the bulk of their employees are Latino immigrants. Some acknowledged that they are often not certain about a worker’s status, since New York State does not require an employer to verify legal residency of an employee when they file W-2 or 1099 forms linked to a tax identification number. Others said they are aware the majority of their workforce are not legal residents.
But all said that every employee on their crew, documented or not, has a tax ID number or state-issued work permit and pays the full complement of state and federal taxes that any legal resident would pay, and are covered by workmen’s compensation insurance. They said that most other medium or large local companies like theirs have similar arrangements with their employees.
Each also said that, apart from the economic firestorm that would consume their industry if large numbers of immigrants were taken from, or left, the local community, they see most of their employees as upstanding members of the local community: family men, homeowners, devout church-goers and consumers.
Most, but not all, of the business owners spoken to said they support Donald Trump and his tough stance on immigration enforcement. They do so in large part because they say they see the impact of companies that, unlike theirs, employ undocumented workers off the books—making it difficult to compete with them in the marketplace.
Those who said they support the president’s approach are confident—or at least hopeful—that the administration’s policies would not cost them the most critical components to their business.
“As a business owner, I see both sides of it,” a Southampton-based painting company owner said. “I do the right thing in terms of taxes and insurance, so I have a certain amount of animus toward the guys I see who aren’t doing the right thing and are charging much less and taking business from me.
“But I also see the need,” he added, with a slight sigh. “We created what we have here, and now we need [immigrant workers] to sustain it. It’s hard for me to say what should be done. Except, I guess, I know what needs to be done: The guys who want to work and are paying their taxes and keeping out of trouble, they should be allowed to stay. But they should definitely go after the bad guys.”
Another business owner echoed the sentiment that tougher immigration enforcement should apply only to violent or repeat criminals, not law-abiding people, and said his immigrant employees do, too.
“These are honest, hard-working guys—that is not who they’re going to go after,” a Southampton landscape company owner said of his impression of federal immigration authorities. “They’re only going after the ones who are killing, and the gang members. My guys understand that what the president is talking about is the criminals. And they want the criminals out too.”
The most recent directives from the Department of Homeland Security set the bar for deportation far lower than the multiple felony convictions that have been the standard trigger for a deportation warrant for the last decade.
Asked why their crews are made up of mostly, if not entirely, immigrant workers, every employer offered a slight variation of the same sentiment: Not because they are cheaper, but because they are the best workers.
“White guys, especially the young ones, don’t really want to work all that hard, and when there’s waves they don’t want to work at all, so they just don’t show up,” said one. “I’ve had white guys, black guys, Spanish guys, Russian guys, Polish guys, Irish guys. The Spanish guys show up to work every day, and they work hard. They would work 60 or 70 hours a week, seven days, if they could.”
Each told a series of very similar anecdotes about their travails as employers in finding and hiring non-immigrant workers.
“I started banging nails as soon as I got out of college, and I’d hire my buddies from high school,” recalled a high-end construction company owner based in East Hampton Town. “They’d be smoking pot in the port-a-potties, doing blow in the office trailer, or they wouldn’t show up. Then, one year, I hired two Colombian guys. They showed up for work, they didn’t drink—and eventually my all-American crew became an all-immigrant crew.”
“I remember my dad’s workers when I was a kid: They were all white, and even then I could tell they were the bottom of the barrel—but that was all you could get back then,” said the painting company owner. “I’ve had two American guys work for me, and they weren’t worth a darn. I get five or 10 Spanish guys looking for jobs every day—nobody of any other race or color has even called for a job.”
A fourth business owner, who is a general contractor based in Hampton Bays, said: “The thing is that out here, the American guys who banged nails or mowed lawns when they were in high school, they go and start their own company instead of working for someone else. So now they need guys working for them. Would I have to pay a white guy more to work for me, yes, but only because he could go do his own thing—or thinks he could.”
Immigrant workers are more than just an expedient business solution to the need for more and more labor in the local economy, one of the businessmen said. They were the foundation that allowed it to rise to a new labor-intensive stratosphere of elegance, ornateness and complexity.
The painting company owner offered that, in the last two decades, the immigrant labor market, particularly among companies not following costly taxation and workman’s comp requirements, allowed the residential development market to grow at an exponentially faster rate and evolve in more labor-dependent ways than it would have otherwise.
“The spec house market was completely dependent on that,” he said of companies staffed by off-the-books immigrant employees. “You take the standard 6,000-square-foot spec house: I have to charge $100,000 to paint that house. But [a spec builder] gets them done for $40,000, because he uses the guys that are paying off the books. If that wasn’t there, all that spec building in Bridgehampton and Water Mill, and all over, that would never have happened … because they wouldn’t be able to make any money.”
Going a step further, the painter said that if the robust supply of immigrant workers were removed or substantially diminished, the demands of the current market could not be met, and that attempts to keep up would likely, over the years, force economic contraction, as services like caring for intricately sculpted landscapes and seemingly endless renovations and expansions of existing homes become more and more expensive, and fewer and fewer homeowners see them as financially worthwhile.
“Eventually,” he said, “even the rich people are going to say it’s not worth it.”
The employers labored to cast aside a common misconception about undocumented workers: that they are paid substantially less than legal residents and citizens for the same jobs, and that they do not pay taxes.
Each said their immigrant workers typically make the standard wage for the jobs they do. They acknowledged that there are companies dodging the system but said that most of the recognizable names in the development-related trades in this region are following the letter of the law in regard to employees whose immigration status is clouded.
“These guys take deep pride in paying taxes,” a construction company owner said of his employees. “They want to play by the rules, desperately. If they could pay $10,000 or $15,000 to be able to apply [for legal residency] tomorrow, they would do it in a second. They would buy health insurance in a second—if they could. And they are strong and healthy, they eat well, they work hard and are in shape—they would be paying into the system, not taking from it.”
In 2013, the Social Security Administration issued a report on “unauthorized immigrants” that estimated undocumented but on-the-books workers were paying about $12 billion a year into the Social Security program alone. The report pointed out that the vast majority of those workers would never be eligible to receive the benefits of the program later in life like citizens who paid the same amount in taxes would. Additionally, undocumented residents get no tax refunds if they overpay taxes on their wages.
Three employees of one of the business owners who sat in the company’s office on a recent Friday to explain how they came to be part of the massive undocumented workforce, for their part, said that they are happy to pay taxes and would be willing to pay fines or fees for their past immigration violations if it would give them a path to legal residency. Two said they have already spent many thousands trying to find such a path, and in some cases lost tens of thousands more to unscrupulous attorneys who took their payments up front, in cash, and then vanished.
“I tried to come here legally first,” said Jose, a construction worker. “My brother got here by applying. My seven brothers, we all applied. Only one got a visa.”
Jose, who is 29 and a native of Ecuador, said that in his hometown he could work for his father’s masonry business—making about $35 a month. “I make more than that in an hour now,” he said.
Another of the workers, an Ecuadorian immigrant named Gallo, said that he pays more than $20,000 a year in taxes and workman’s comp insurance. In 2006, after being arrested by immigration agents while visiting Niagara Falls, he paid an attorney $35,000 to help him apply for legal residency. The man simply never filed the application and vanished with his money.
Since then Gallo has reported annually to an immigration court judge to show that he is fully employed and paying taxes. He worries now, however, that if he reports to the court again, he could be seized and deported.
“It’s a Catch-22,” said his boss, who said several employees fear they are in a similar bind. “They’re scared to go to the immigration court like they’ve been doing, to show that they’re doing things properly. But if they don’t go, then they’ll get a deportation warrant put on them. So they could get deported if they don’t go—but if they do go, they could still get deported.”
Two of the three men own homes and have young children who are U.S. citizens. They say that in recent weeks they have grown scared of their future in the United States, even though they have seen no actual evidence of deportations from the community.
One, named John, a former Colombian national soccer team member, said that he worries that if he or he and his wife were to be deported, their mortgage would go into default and be seized by a bank—the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars already invested in it simply lost.
His son is an American citizen. When he was 3 he was diagnosed with leukemia and relies on medicines now that he could likely not get if the family left the United States together.
“He has to stay here because he has to keep getting his medicine—if I had to leave, what would become of him,” John said. “My son, he is 10. He tells me all the time, ‘Daddy, be careful.’”
Now they don't want to end illegal immigration for the same reason
I see the same things described in this article in my current industry. For the record, there are young guys who are go getters, and those who are not. And, for the record it ain't sanitation.
Funny world we live in. If I don't hire someone because of their criminal record, apparently that's a form of racism, assuming the applicant is a minority. If I use the term "illegal alien", I'm a bigot because I'm supposed to use "immigrant".
But if I want to denigrate "white men" as group, well, that's just ...more A-OK, because apparently we''ll need a period of inequality, prejudice, and stereotyping against innocent people to really even things out.
Too bad you didn't lift them from my post, 'cause that's what's called "defamation".
I'll tell you what, if I find out who's using illegal alien labor, I'm going to report you to DHS, and I hope you lose everything. Your business. Your house. Your liberty. You belong in jail.
Don't believe for one second this isn't ...more about making more money by not hiring legal workers. Sure, illegals are scared (rightfully so), and therefore their employers can easily exploit them, and that's where the "work ethic" these scab labor hiring criminals are so happy about.
Every one of the employers who happily breaks federal law by hiring illegals and thereby encouraging more is effectively ...more an accomplice in illegal alien crime.
First of all, I can guarantee you that most of these contractors are registered Republicans and voted for Trump so any claim that this is a Democrat or Liberal backlash is completely false.
Secondly, sweeping generalizations aside, it is completely accurate that the migrant worker works more hours for less pay. This is attractive for the contractor for obvious reasons. This is how capitalism works. If you don't like ...more it, I believe Russia is accepting American citizens now thanks to our POTUS.
And to the SelfElminator, you aren't going to do anything because you're just another troll on the Internet.
There's really not going to be any reasoning with you, because I've seen this from leftists before. You think capitalism is evil, spawns more evil, and therefore if someone is pro-capitalist they must accept anything any business does, which is ridiculous assertion borne out of your cartoon caricature of what capitalism is.
They are ...more breaking the law by hiring illegals, and in the macro this also depresses the wages and working conditions of legal workers by reducing their leverage. If you really cared about the working class like a good socialist, you would understand that illegal aliens benefit the wealthy, at the expense of the working class.
But you're part of that new breed of progressives who feel they need to stand up for the 1% and their right to cheap, illegal labor.
So, cause it's easy and cheap to run my business illegally, we should feel bad for those who got rich doing it!!!
I have to get my aspirin........
Whacked!!!!!!!! Out of frigging minds!!
So much for fair, Un-biased and well researched reporting. Liberal one sided reporting is not reporting.
Local businesses should be no different. If you want to operate, and operate legally, follow the law. Hire workers with the legal status to work here. What these guys should do instead of getting together to whine, is to get together and commit to only hiring legal, tax-paying workers. ...more
You cannot legally even rent out a basement apartment in East End Towns without following proper procedures, applications and fees to do so, or else be subject to penalties/fines. Standards should be held across the board for everyone who resides in the US. If you want to move here, do it right, and then welcome to our wonderful country.
In the meantime, if you're going to be here illegally, with your Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio or Illinois license plates, please please please do not drive 50 mph in the left lane on 27! Move on over. Thank you.
There are thousands of LEGAL construction and landscape people that would travel here for work...
Most of the youngsters seem to have been born here and are citizens by birth. Deporting their parents or grandparents is just crazy. time for some type ...more of reform and a clarification of the position of many without papers.
I wonder if the reporter asked to verify any of the contractors payroll records or just took their word for it over the phone. I think i know the answer to that one.
Way to bend the fact to fit a narrative. FAKE NEWS at it's FAKIEST!
Been observing this for the last 10 +years
If everyone is so up in arms about this, I would love to see somebody try to do something about it. But I'm gonna go ahead and assume that ya'll will just sit here and post lots of angry messages in CAPS instead while multi-million dollar mansions continue to get built, our land continues to disappear, GC's continue to profit, and illegals continue to flood the area.
As a wise man once ...more said, "Have fun storming the castle!"
Any my comment only says that the article does not attack white people.
You are though, the perfect example of the knee-jerk whiner that I was describing (no matter what ethnicity or religion or age or sex or gender you are).
The older white guys that know what they're doing get stuck trying to decipher broken English,or wondering if he actually understood what you said when you explained how to do something for 10 minutes and they say "yes"
I'm personally not anti-immigrant,some of my favorite people I've ever worked with were ...more Colombians,but I am anti illegal alien.
Obviously the contractors that were spoken to remained anonymous because they know they're working illegally to make more for themselves
That being said-
To report illegal aliens, people employing them or people harboring them, please call 1-866-DHS-2ICE (347-2423)
What specific actions do you advocate?
There are over 7,000 people in Hampton Bays alone that come from non English speaking households -- don't quibble, google "US Census" and "Hampton Bays" if you don't believe me -- what percent of them are undocumented? At least 50% are probably undocumented but let's say it's only 20%, what would you do to those 1400 people in HB alone?
What do you think should be done with them? Don't be coy, just ...more state what "action" you desire.
On there way out of the country they can each p/u an extra 100 bucks for turning in the company they were working for.
Yes, I figured you would complain without offering a solution or even a suggestion of a solution.
Hope you are all very proud of yourselves, and you know who you are !
BREAKING NEWS - - - - - WHAT WE ALWAYS KNEW ANYWAY >>>>
Malik Obama shares photo of brother Barack’s Kenya ‘certificate of birth’
MARCH 9, 2017
BY KYLE OLSON
An Obama has joined the birther movement.
Malik Obama, Barack Obama’s half-brother, tweeted image of what appears to be Barack’s birth certificate.
Except ...more ...more it’s not from Hawaii, but rather Kenya.
View image on Twitter
Malik Obama ✔ @ ObamaMalik
Surely. What's this?
2:13 PM - 9 Mar 2017
6,340 6,340 Retweets 7,819 7,819 likes
“What’s this?” he tweeted.
The document is from the “Coast Province General Hospital” in Mombasa, British Protectorate of Kenya, and is for Barack Hussein Obama II, who was born on the “4th day of August, 1961.”
mean that all of Obama's executive orders, federal court appointees and Supreme Court selections would be null and void.
Byb Bye Sotomayor ?
Could you Imagine if Kagan and Sotomayor were nullified and Trump got to pick two replacements OMG that would be the ultimate lesson in Karma !
You dupes will fall for anything. Even fake presidents.
Trumpty Dumpty promised a wall
Trumpty Dumpty lied to you all
All the billionaires, fascists, and corporate conmen
Tricked the racists
To get all their taxes cut again
Charles Stein · Eastern Washington University
"Dad, why do poor people always wear ugly clothes? Why doesn't someone make them live in another country? Why don't we make everything so expensive that no poor people can live here? If they can't buy food they'd have to move away, right Dad?"
"You've got the right instincts Donald, but you've got to institutionalize a universal dislike for poor people so that regular people will be able to watch the ...more poor die of starvation and disease without feeling any pity."
"What does institutionalize mean?"
"To Institutionalize something means to make it one of our cultural core values, like, 'The Richer a Person Is, The More That God Loves That Person'."
"God loves us the most, huh Dad?"
"Kind of, the idea of 'God' was institutionalized a long time ago. Think of 'God' as Santa Claus for non-rich adults. No rich person of quality believes in God except as a lever to pry what we need from regular people."
"What if God really does exist?"
"Then all rich people will go to hell just like it says in the bible, LOL."