The Underclass

Unlike A-1 or Golda Harvey, Romero is still operating and apparently willing to help immigrants in Colorado. She did not return calls for this story. But when a Spanish-speaking caller asked in early June if Romero could help a friend in Colorado with an immigration matter, an office assistant said that she could. However, a check this week revealed that her number is disconnected.

The immigrants themselves know they're unlikely to recover their losses.
"I think we all know we're not going to get our money back," says the young mother attending the meeting at El Comite. "We're here so this won't happen again." Her husband adds, "We know things are getting harder and harder. People take advantage of us."

The money is gone, but if immigrants seek help from immigration attorneys, sometimes they can turn their cases around. Martinez-Gloria of Catholic Charities has been able to help some of the former clients of A-1 Business Services.

But many of them are simply told that they have no recourse under the law and that they are not eligible to become legal residents. Because of stiffened requirements, many illegal immigrants have only a few choices, which include winning asylum, gaining entry through a "diversity" lottery (which doesn't apply to certain countries, including Mexico), being sponsored by a prospective employer or having close relatives here.

Jose says that doesn't mean that he will leave the U.S. Life is still better here than in Mexico, legal or not, he says--even if his mother back in Mexico has met her grandchildren "only in pictures." Asked what he will do about his status, Jose has a simple answer: "I'll wait to see if the laws change.