Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: This research is based on a case study of undocumented Mexican immigrants living in a northwest suburb of Chicago Illinois. The study focuses on Mexican immigrants who have found employment in the secondary labor market, primarily in light manufacturing and the restaurant industry. By focusing on workers in the same labor market sector, yet in a different industry, this study shows how participating in a different industry within the same sector has a significant impact on the quality of life and assimilation and incorporation process to US society. This study expands our understanding of employment practices among Mexican immigrants, their incorporation to the United States; and their contribution to a broader understanding of the dual market theory. The data in this study suggests that undocumented immigrants that work in light manufacturing have had greater access to financial and social resources to establish themselves in US society, while immigrants in the restaurant industries face a series of structural obstacles to their assimilation and incorporation process.