The difficult living conditions in the United States stifle the American dream of many undocumented immigrants who arrive full of illusions. This is the case of two Venezuelan women who crossed the continent until they reached the US capital. In Washington, they have been deprived of jobs and decent housing conditions, which is why they are now considering retracing their steps. This is the story.
On the outskirts of Washington, an abandoned hotel reopened its doors. The place became a place intended to house hundreds of undocumented immigrants who arrived on buses from Texas and Arizona.
Inside it live two Venezuelan women who were part of those trips. France 24 spoke with them to learn about the conditions in which they live and the challenges they face in the United States. neither of us she wanted to share her real name to avoid the risk of being evicted from the hotel and ending up on the street.
In the enclosure, the walls are full of humidity, the mattresses have bedbugs and on many occasions the food causes digestion problems. However, they have no other choice.
“Food is not decent for a human being, it is not for an adult or for a child. As for the beds, these are very outdated. Regarding the hygiene of the sheets and bathrooms, it is not adequate”, shares *of the Venezuelan migrants from the state of Aragua who lived for several years in Bogotá, the Colombian capital, before embarking on their trip to the United States in search of better opportunities.
“No, this was not what I expected! It’s totally different. What happens is that when you come on your way you get excited about the comments of many people, “says the migrant from the Venezuelan coasts. And she adds: “But when you arrive, the reality is different.”
“I do not recommend that you do what I did to get here”
Inflation that exceeded 9% in June 2022, rents of $3,000 a month for one-bedroom apartments, and stagnant minimum wages that do not allow them to pay for basic needs, are economic realities that do not appear in the calculations of many migrants before starting a business. your trip to the United States.
Hundreds of thousands continue to risk their lives as they journey north in search of the American dream. Excited about life projects, they arrive in the country and quickly realize that they have to work long hours and in various trades to survive. In between, various obstacles such as the fact that it is increasingly difficult to send money to their relatives.
Weeks before Title 42 expired, 10,000 migrants illegally crossed the border every day and more than 200,000 have done so since the beginning of 2023.
© Fernando Llano / AP
“I don’t recommend that you do what I did to get here, it’s not worth it… I was better off in Colombia,” says Marta O., referring not only to her journey from Colombia to Mexico, but also because of how difficult it has been for her to find income enough to survive in the United States.
The situation is made even more complex for undocumented immigrants because many companies take advantage of them and pay them less than the minimum wage. In fact, according to these Venezuelans, many women who work in the kitchens of stadiums, restaurants, or events fail to comply with the agreements or simply do not get paid.
“I know many cases of salary theft. I listen to it every day. Even if people do not have documents to work, they have rights and if they are hired to work, they have to pay them what is fair. We are looking for lawyers who can defend them,” says Diana Fula, a community organizer with the NGO Congregation Action Network.
According to undocumented migrants France 24 spoke to in Washington, many of these employers recruit people through social media or through other workers they hire.
“The exploitation will continue”
According to Fula, migrants seek work as soon as they arrive. However, they find that employers do not keep their promises. So she, she assures her, the exploitation will continue until the root problem is not addressed.
Very few companies are prosecuted for hiring irregular immigrants and, instead, many take advantage of the fact that there are more than 11 million undocumented immigrants in the US who, although they pay taxes, do not have access to the legal system to defend themselves.
The latest available information revealed by Syracuse University shows that between April 2018 and March 2019 only 11 individuals—not companies—were prosecuted for hiring undocumented immigrants. Of this group, only three ended up paying prison time. During that same period, 85,727 immigrants were prosecuted for entering the United States illegally.
The challenge of surviving without papers
Like most migrants, these women also want to find a stable job, become independent and “stop being a burden,” as *Luisa B., the second Venezuelan migrant France 24 spoke to who also requested anonymity, puts it.
“Actually, anyone who wants to work finds a way to do it and we Venezuelans are quite warriors and we don’t stop for something like that,” says this woman who traveled from Ecuador with her family.
However, he adds that having an ID would be “quite helpful” because, he says, they could opt for “better salaries” and to be paid “better hours of work.”
“There are many companies that, knowing that the minimum wage is $16.10, are paying less. Perhaps with that ID we could be more competitive,” adds Luisa B..
Her husband, although without papers, works in the construction sector. Meanwhile, she sometimes works as a waitress at events or in stadium kitchens, if she manages to leave her children under the supervision of other migrants staying at the hotel.
However, their options are very limited because when they arrive in the country irregularly, the border patrol strips them of their passport and identification. His situation does not allow him to access health, financial, legal services and basic subsidies, a situation that has forced other migrants to seek illegal identification that allows them to work.
These and other migrants have gone to the front of the Washington City Hall to request temporary identification while they define their immigration status. They want to work and be able to build a life after months of looking for informal jobs. That is their only option, they no longer have documents to consider a possible return to Venezuela.
*Names have been changed at the request of the source
