Burning Atlanta

Expected, especially in areas with strong anti-illegal hiring laws. But, as we know, the economy plays its part. As we all know, cut off the jobs and it cuts off most of the problem.

Have a nice trip.

Standing with a handful of day laborers on a sidewalk in front of the Home Depot in north San Bernardino, Rosales said he is lucky to bring home $150 a week doing construction work. That's about half the amount he used to make when the economy was robust.

On a recent weekday morning, about 50 men clustered in small groups waited for contractors and homeowners to drive by and offer them temporary jobs as gardeners, plumbers, painters, carpenters and construction workers.

There were few offers and even fewer jobs.

Because of the grim job situation in this country, Panuco travels back to his hometown in Mexico to work in farming a few months out of the year.

"Right now, the U.S. is the same as Mexico, as far as jobs are concerned," he said.

"So many people are hurting right now," said Jose Calderon, a professor of sociology and Chicano studies at Pitzer College in Pomona. "It's an easy time to put all the blame on immigrant workers."  I've said many times that I do not blame illegals for every problem in this country. But they do depress wages on the lower end of the scale and if business has its way more hi-tech workers will be repalced with cheaper foreign workers.

Suzanne Foster, executive director of the day labor center, said the number of people getting jobs at the center has dropped from about 850 to 550 a month because of the economic slowdown.