Undocumented immigrants offer U.S. a shot of optimism – CNN.com
Undocumented immigrants offer U.S. a shot of optimism – CNN.com.
In a recent national survey of undocumented Latino immigrants, RedBrownandBlue found that the day laborer population has been among the hardest hit by the recession. Fourteen percent of male respondents said they work zero to 10 hours a week; and 39 percent said their annual household income is under $15,000 — well below the poverty threshold of $22,128.
Given a national poverty rate of 13 percent, undocumented Latino immigrants are three times as likely as Americans to live in what we define as “poverty.”
Despite these difficult circumstances, an overwhelming 74 percent said that if they had to choose again, they would still come to the United States. Eighty-seven percent said they believe America is special compared with other countries. And 71 percent said America is special because it gives people the opportunity to do better. Sounds pretty optimistic, right?