Abuse of Guest Workers

The Houston Chronicle reports that about workers from India who came to work in Orange and Pascagoula, Miss., as welders and pipe fitters for Signal International. The visas were temporary, but many of the 500 guest workers were led to believe they eventually would receive green cards and could move their families to the United States, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. To pay the $20,000 in recruiting fees, many sold their homes and depleted their life savings. When they got here, the foreign workers were put in bunkhouses and charged $1,050 a month for bed and board. Several workers in Pascagoula complained about their living conditions and were threatened with deportation. A protest drew the attention of the press and led to the center’s lawsuit last month against the giant marine and fabrication service company. Signal said it was a mistake and blamed third-party recruiters.

KJ