They also frequently must overcome language and other cultural barriers, and sometimes must be trained before they can become as productive as their native co-workers. Low educational attainment may explain why many immigrants work in low-paying industries such as Southern Californian garment shops, Midwestern meat packing plants and Southern textile mills. In 1997, nearly 25 percent of California's population was foreign-born. Mexico continues to supply the largest number of immigrants to the United States. Immigrants often work for lower wages than their American counterparts and they seldom are unionized.
Some employers say they are more productive.
Craig Ray, president and CEO of Tommaso's Fresh Pasta in Dallas, says he prefers hiring immigrants because they generally work harder and are more loyal than native-born workers. Twenty-four of Tommaso's 26 production workers are foreign born. The company also periodically offers English as a Second Language classes to workers who want to attend. Ray's wife is the ESL instructor. If you teach a Vietnamese man English he will stay with you for the rest of his life, and I've found that with the Croatians and Bosnians, too.