Reply #41: Yes, a lot here in southeastern NC [View All]

How do I know they are here illegally? Because I am an immigration paralegal/consultant and I consult with them everyday, numerous times a day. A few are diversifying in other fields such as landscaping and golf course maintenance, while another few are leaving and a smaller number are choosing to stick it out in construction.

Most are hard working people, although most of them (in the interest of full disclosure) have one or more DUIs on their record. One of my clients explained that it is cultural, in that drinking and driving are not considered a 'bad' thing in some countries and are not seen as a criminal offense, which comes to a shock to most when I tell them that having two or more misdemeanors (as DUIs can be in NC) may disqualify them from any immigration benefits should the immigration law change (currently, there is no provision in U.S. immigration law to assist people who enter the U.S. without inspection, unless a life or death emergency can be used to request a waiver of inadmissibility).