S.F. day laborers showing up for work, but often struggle to get paid

When a truck pulls up in search of day laborers in the Mission District, they rush to be the first in. Those who are more cautious ask how much the patrón, employer, is willing to pay.

But getting hired does not always guarantee getting paid. After 17 days on a job doing grueling cement laying, day laborer Alfredo says he was only paid for four. When he spoke up, the contractor threatened to call Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“He said that if I kept asking for the money, he would call ICE on me, because he knows where I live,” Alfredo said in Spanish. The next day, fear kept him from showing up to his usual spot where he waits for work.

So far, life in the United States is nothing like Alfredo expected. He is one of the dozens of people — many Latino and undocumented – who look