Migrants' stolen wages rarely recovered

This article “New migrants on LI filling low-wage jobs” [News, Feb. 4] contains a potentially misleading omission of how many workers see their stolen wages returned after they file a wage theft claim.

The article mentions 85% of cases are resolved in favor of the complainant, but the word “resolved” implies stolen wages were recovered. The reality is about 63% of workers who’ve won wage theft claims have not seen any money recovered from their employers. For specific types of wage theft, like minimum wage violations, as low as 3% is recovered. This data includes workers of all immigration statuses.

These low recovery rates can be traced to understaffing at the state Department of Labor and a lack of enforcement teeth available to the department. We have the resources to enforce wage theft law, but every day our state government makes a choice not to.

Tens of millions of dollars are stolen from New York workers each year. Instead of workers receiving what they’re owed and spending in their communities, most employers are allowed to pocket stolen wages without consequence. New York can, and must, do better for its workers.

— Ani Halasz, Smithtown

The writer is executive director of Long Island Jobs With Justice.

Shining a bright light on the real people — not just the numbers — who have arrived recently to seek asylum in New York is critical. While many may share similar backstories and goals, each asylum and deportation case is unique and far more likely to be successful with a trained attorney providing assistance.

With an estimated 100,000 immigrants living illegally on Long Island even before the latest arrivals, we simply don’t have the infrastructure or enough legal-service providers to assist each one in applying for legal status and work authorizations.

It’s a crisis that the state must address this year. But Gov. Kathy Hochul allocated only $44.2 million for services outside New York City. While a good first step, that’s nearly $20 million short of current funding levels and far less than the $150 million actually needed to start making a dent.

If the state is serious about boosting our economy and helping people integrate into and contribute to communities, properly funding legal services must be a priority. Ignoring that is ignoring the real people and their daily fight to get by.

— Murad Awawdeh, Hempstead

The writer is executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition.

Politics comes before solution on border

Many parents have been there: Our toddlers incessantly demand a plate of macaroni and cheese, and when we give in and place it in front of them, they refuse to eat it.

That brings to mind the current congressional Republicans. After endlessly screaming about the serious issues with our broken immigration system, they declare a bill that would give them much of what they have been demanding as “dead on arrival,” even before any text had been released “GOP’s cynical border ploy,” Editorial, Feb. 9].

How sad that the GOP seems to care little about solving the problem, the lives affected or common human decency. And how disturbing is the true reason: politics before policy.

It is past the time for these naysayers to stop kowtowing to a candidate and do their jobs as lawmakers. This country has waited long enough.

— Maryellen Viola, Massapequa Park

Dan Janison wrote about the disarray in the GOP [“Another fiasco for House Republicans,” Opinion, Feb. 8]. I would opine that it is the perpetual lockstep voting by the Democrats that is the root cause. The GOP is guilty to a lesser extent, showing rare bright spots.

This is a sad condition in our leadership. How can legislators who represent broadly varied constituents all agree on any issue? It goes for both sides by necessity although there are a few thinkers in the GOP.

This is bad for America and why nothing logical ever seems to get done. Does either side represent its constituents or only look to get reelected?

— Frank Grunseich, Deer Park

What have Long Island Republicans who helped give this Congress a Republican majority gotten for their votes? This is what: the most dysfunctional and chaotic Congress in decades [“House GOP’s push to impeach Homeland Security Mayorkas fails,” News, Feb. 7]. They have passed only a fraction of what other Congresses have passed by now.

All they mostly seem to do is investigate President Joe Biden or a cabinet member with no evidence of wrongdoing. They kept former Rep. George Santos as a member right up to his indictment because they needed his votes.

Now they are refusing to pass bipartisan bills that will keep so many children out of poverty. They killed the border bill, which Republican leaders had said is the best such bill in decades, just because they don’t want to give Biden a win.

Is this what Republicans expected? A Congress that does almost nothing for constituents?

— Jeff Goldschmidt, Stony Brook

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson indeed has a majority in name only. As a proud Republican, I am disturbed by the lack of support for Ukraine from many congressional leaders in my party.

Although we have seen support from our local congressmen, more Republicans in the House and Senate need to stand up to the MAGA wing of the party and join Democrats in getting more aid to Ukraine, which was tied to the Senate bill on the southern border.

Some Republicans who don’t oppose Russian President Vladimir Putin like to say we have given too much, yet we gave only 0.32% of our 2022 gross domestic product. Other countries have given a greater portion of their GDPs.

I have a friend in Ukraine whose father is fighting the Russians, with her brother one year away from conscription. Hearing members of my party say we need to stop giving aid to Ukraine makes me think of her and her family. What would a Ukrainian loss mean for them?

Do we Republicans show weakness and allow Putin to illegally annex Ukrainian territory in violation of international law, or do we go back to being the party of Ronald Reagan and ensure that our greatest adversaries never dare attack another nation again?

— Dean Gandley, Rocky Point