Baltimore Bridge collapse results in immigrant worker deaths
Every day, immigrant workers throughout the United States take part in dangerous yet necessary roles that seemingly go unnoticed. While a tragedy, the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, MD could be an incident that advocates for the safety of those immigrant workers who face threatening situations every day.
Following the collapse, it was reported that eight individuals were working when the bridge was hit leading to six fatalities. While the bridge has been spoken about continuously in recent weeks, there has been little information spread about the fact that all of the workers were immigrants attempting to live and finance themselves in America.
Recently, due to White House officials and other advocates, there have been more details released about both the deceased immigrants and those who are constantly working in harmful working conditions in other parts of the country. Tom Perez, senior advisor and assistant to the president told Spectrum News, “I hope that people take a step back as we reflect on this tragedy to reflect on the contributions that immigrants make across America, in so many different sectors,” and continued with, “Here were people who are working in the middle of the night to make sure that your day went well, putting themselves in harm's way.” It may be crucial that those who are well-known and influential in our society speak up about the working conditions for immigrant workers for the possibility of change to prosper in the future.
The future of immigrant workers may have to do with the upcoming presidential election. Current president Joe Biden is eager to continue to give immigrants the work they need to live in America. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported to Spectrum News, “Democrats pushing to expand legal pathways to citizenship say the number of job openings shows immigrant labor is needed. In Texas alone, there were an estimated 745,000 job openings in January”.
Contrastingly, former president Donald Trump and other Republicans have exclaimed they want the exact opposite. If Trump were to become elected again, he has stated that he would like to become more strict with immigration laws while limiting the job opportunities afforded to immigrants. According to Spectrum News, Trump has said that “the new arrivals are responsible for committing crimes, and vows he will embark on mass deportations if he becomes president.” While Trump appears confident in his words, if immigrants are no longer allowed into the United States, it is unknown who is going to take the hundreds of thousands of jobs needed across the country. As the election progresses, it may be crucial to educate yourself and become knowledgeable on the policies and beliefs of each individual running for president to ensure the safety and respect of immigrant workers.
At the present moment, it seems that immigrants will be taking part in the restoration of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Perez commented on the initial building of the bridge, stating, “They were building the American dream, because not only did they build a bridge, but they built a bridge to opportunity for their own families.” Perez has shared his beliefs about how important the immigrant workers are and how they should be working in the rebuilding because of their involvement in the initial formation.