Immigration and Day Laborers

A friend and I were talking today about him doing some heavy yard work and where he could find someone to hire for a day to help him.  I suggested hiring one of the guys who stand across the street from White Castles in Orange or by Newark Paint in Irvington.  But when I thought about it, it has probably been 10 years since I last went there. So I am not sure if they still stand at these locations or if they have been chased away by the local police? 


The majority of these guys were undocumented, and those who had papers couldn't find work because they couldn't speak English.  


Back then you could just go to one of these locations and hire one or as many as you needed.  In Orange the city kind of did a "Don't ask don't tell" with them.  They would allow these guys to stand there until around 8 a.m. then the police would come by and turn on their lights and sirens, and just sit there for a little while to let these guys know they could no longer wait for work at that spot.  The guys all knew the rules and would leave at that time.   


The last time I hired one They were getting $125 for an eight hour day (plus lunch).  It was a good deal for both of us. I did hear afterwards that they unionized themselves.  You could no longer take just one guy, you had to take a minimum of two and the pay went up to $150 a day.  There was one guy who handled the transactions between you and them and  I always wondered if the guys chose him or if that guy was shaking them down for a cut of their pay.


Just curios if these guys are still allowed to stand there or if they have been chased away due to all the focus on immigration these days.  Does anyone have the answer?


Thank you



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