The collapse of the Hard Rock Hotel in New Orleans earlier this year has shed light on the plight of undocumented construction workers.
Three workers were killed after the structural failure. One survivor, an undocumented worker who had tried to warn supervisors about safety concerns, was subsequently deported to Honduras.
A 2006 academic study found about half of the New Orleans reconstruction workforce was Latino, with about half of that group being undocumented. To speed up construction after the storm, the federal government suspended enforcement of employee eligibility checks by employers and some workplace protection measures.
This resulted in widespread worker exploitation including wage theft, underpayment of wages, and abuse of employees, according to a report in The Guardian. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency had a steady rate of deportations under President Obama, but the current administration’s aggressive crackdown on immigration and asylum seekers has raised the level of fear among the Latino population in New Orleans.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Jan 19, 2022
Canada’s Trudeau seeking building codes changes, net-zero emissions building strategy
Prime minister also wants net-zero electricity grid by 2035.
Codes and Standards | Jan 18, 2022
Greater emphasis on building materials needed to achieve net-zero carbon offices
Engineered wood, straw, and bamboo can be keys to achieving goal.
Codes and Standards | Jan 17, 2022
AISC seeks comments on draft earthquake standard for steel buildings
Includes new limits for cross-sectional slenderness of steel columns based on latest research.
Codes and Standards | Jan 12, 2022
California’s wildfire building code significantly reduces structural loss
As other states consider upgrading their codes, Golden State provides useful model.
Codes and Standards | Jan 12, 2022
Regulator holding back climate-friendly, energy-saving equipment deployment, critics say
Heat pumps, solar power could be made more accessible for low-income communities in Massachusetts.
Codes and Standards | Jan 11, 2022
Cost hikes drive nearly one million renters out of homeownership qualification in 2021
Household income needed to pay a mortgage rose to $62,872 from $55,186.
Codes and Standards | Jan 10, 2022
New ratings services focus on climate risk for homeowners
Efficacy of models used in risk assessment varies.
Codes and Standards | Jan 6, 2022
Virginia contractors having a tough time finding diverse subs to meet state goals
Survey of primes may indicate similar issues at federal level.
Codes and Standards | Jan 5, 2022
Boston drops parking requirements for affordable housing
Measure expected to spur new projects.
Codes and Standards | Jan 4, 2022
Dept. of Energy Better Climate Challenge aims for 50% GHG emission reduction by 2030
Program offers technical assistance and peer-to-peer knowledge sharing.
