DENVER — More than 18,000 migrants have arrived in Denver since the city began tracking. Most all of them have a tale about struggling to find work or a struggle of getting paid once they do find jobs, mostly day laboring.
Edith arrived from Venezuela four months ago with her family. She had 15 days in the shelter and began using the time to find work. She applied at different locations but wasn't able to find anything.
"It got me thinking, I’m going to sell food," said Edith.
Her husband began looking for day laboring jobs in construction. At the time, she noticed all of the Venezuelans were looking for work in the same area. That's when she got the idea to work for herself.
"(It's) more secure because I just get the money at once. I don’t have to wait and say, pay me, pay me, pay me," said Edith.
She sells her arepas for $5 and the cost includes a cafecito. She sells different varieties depending on the day. Most days she will make around 30 and stay until she sells out.
"In a way, I like working like this rather than working something else. I prefer to work for myself. I earn a little but it’s worth it to me," said Edith.
Most days, she will make at least $80 or more. The money she makes goes mostly to her family's cost to rent their apartment - a unit she shares with her husband, daughter and her grandchildren.
"I can’t pay it all with this," said Edith. "My husband and my daughter, we pay together."
She has been able to find dependable work despite the challenges many migrants face like obtaining work permits. Many also become the victim of wage theft without having a social security number.
The Biden administration this week announced it would streamline the process to obtain a work permit and reduce the numbers of barriers to legal employment in the United States.
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