Undocumented Immigrants Face Steep Challenges to Get Ahead

“As tens of thousands of undocumented Latino immigrants march for their rights, their energetic battle for legal status obscures the difficulty of their daily lives. From vendors selling paletas (frozen fruit pops) morning until night, to mothers walking the neighborhood selling homemade tacos and enchiladas, to non-licensed dentists treating uninsured fellow immigrants in their garage, undocumented immigrants operate in a vast low-earning, informal economy. Those lucky enough to become union janitors face discharge due to their lack of a valid social security number, while the less fortunate lose their jobs and are deported. Christian Zlolniski’s new book on the lives of undocumented Mexican immigrants in San Jose puts a human face on the current immigration debate, and demonstrates the essential functions carried about by undocumented immigrants in the running of a major American city.”

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