Undocumented worker/migrant
An undocumented worker, or migrant, is an individual who enters a country, such as the United States, without the necessary legal documentation, such as a visa or passport, primarily seeking employment. The term is particularly associated with migrants from Mexico and Central America and has gained prominence since World War II, as this group represents the largest immigrant workforce in the U.S. Historically, derogatory terms have been used to describe these individuals, but "undocumented worker" is now preferred for its neutrality and accuracy.
The presence of undocumented workers has sparked significant political and cultural discourse in the United States, with policies ranging from deportation efforts to pathways for legal status, such as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. As of 2022, approximately 12.2 million undocumented immigrants resided in the U.S., comprising 3.3% of the population. Many work in sectors like agriculture, service, and construction, often facing exploitation due to their lack of legal protections. Despite these challenges, individuals frequently pursue undocumented migration to seek better economic opportunities.
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Undocumented worker/migrant
"Undocumented worker" refers to an individual who has entered the United States or another country illegally—that is, without the proper visa, passport, or other type of legal documentation—to obtain employment. The term is most commonly applied to Mexican and Central American workers in the United States. Undocumented workers have formed the largest immigrant workforce since World War II.
Historically, undocumented workers were referred to as “wetbacks,” a reference to the notion that Mexican immigrants illegally cross the US-Mexico border by swimming the Rio Grande (known on the Mexican side of the border as the Río Bravo), which runs along part of the Texas border. Although some undocumented immigrants wade across the river, in reality few, if any, swim across, since the river is seldom deep enough to necessitate swimming. Not only was the term “wetback” an inaccurate descriptor for most individuals who entered the country illegally, it soon came to have derogatory and discriminatory connotations when it was applied to all Mexicans and even to native-born US citizens of Mexican or any other Latin American descent who were living in the United States.
The term “undocumented worker” is less politically charged than “wetback” or “illegal alien” and is a much more accurate and neutral descriptor of the individuals who come to the United States in search of work without legal papers.
Undocumented workers have been a sensitive political and cultural issue throughout US history. The US government has held various policies regarding undocumented workers, from active crackdowns and deportation to amnesty and naturalization. One prominent campaign was Operation Wetback, a 1954 program aimed at stopping the rising numbers of Mexican nationals illegally seeking work in the United States. More lenient policies include the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, aimed at providing legal status to undocumented workers who came to the United States as children and meet other criteria. In general, conservatives support strict enforcement of immigration laws while liberals tend to support legalization and naturalization efforts. During his presidential campaign from 2015–16, President Donald Trump promised to deport 11 million undocumented workers, saying that they took manufacturing jobs away from US citizens. These promises for mass deporatations were repeated in his 2023-24 campaign.
According to the Pew Research Center, 12.2 million undocumented immigrants lived in the United States as of 2022, making up 3.3 percent of the total US population. In 2022, 8.3 million workers in the US were undocumented workers. This was a significant increase from 2019 and on par with the previous highs of 2008 and 2011.
Although many undocumented workers leave their home country in search of economic improvement in a wealthier country, their experiences are often filled with challenges. Because they often cannot rely on legal protections offered to legal workers, they are at risk of exploitation by employers. They may be paid less than minimum wage, forfeit compensation for injury, or be subjected to prejudice and discrimination. Attempts to confront such abuses or organize may be met with threats of deportation or loss of a job. Undocumented workers are also more likely than the rest of the population to hold jobs in the service, agriculture, and construction sectors rather than management or other professional positions. However, the potential rewards outweigh these risks for those who choose to immigrate illegally.
Bibliography
Calabresi, Massimo, et al. “AFL-CIO Launches Effort to Protect Undocumented Workers.” Time, 5 Sept. 2016, p. 22. MasterFILE Complete, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f6h&AN=117693435&site=eds-live. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.
García, Juan Ramon. Operation Wetback: The Mass Deportation of Mexican Undocumented Workers in 1954. Westport: Greenwood, 1980. Print.
Kelly, Erin. “AFL-CIO Launches Effort to Protect Undocumented Workers.” USA Today, 31 Mar. 2015, www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2015/03/31/afl-cio-richard-trumka-undocumented-workers-deportation/70713728//. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.
Passel, Jeffrey S., and D'Vera Cohn. “Share of Unauthorized Immigrant Workers in Production, Construction Jobs Falls Since 2007.” Pew Research Center, 26 Mar. 2015, www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2015/03/26/share-of-unauthorized-immigrant-workers-in-production-construction-jobs-falls-since-2007/. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.
Passel, Jeffrey S., and Jens Manuel Krogstad. “What We Know About Unauthorized Immigrants Living in the U.S.” Pew Research Center, 22 July 2024, www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/07/22/what-we-know-about-unauthorized-immigrants-living-in-the-us/. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.
Schryer, Frans J. They Never Come Back: A Story of Undocumented Workers from Mexico. Ithaca: ILR, 2014.
“Undocumented Workers.” Workplace Fairness, 2015, www.workplacefairness.org/undocumented-workers/#:~:text=Undocumented%20workers%20are%20covered%20by,employer%20is%20breaking%20the%20law. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.