Immigrants struggle to cope in Sandy's aftermath

As Maria Lucero dealt with construction workers ripping down the walls of her living room, she lamented that her landlord said it will be at least a month before her family can return to their Staten Island home. Her family is fortunate to be able to stay with friends, Lucero said, but "I'm not comfortable without having my home."

Because they get paid in cash, immigrant workers lost money for the days they did not work after the storm. Without access to credit, their main hope now is to join reconstruction efforts as day laborers.

Mexican day laborer Eberto Silva didn't have to look far for such a job — his landlord hired him at $14 an hour to do cleaning and demolition work at an apartment complex in Coney Island.

"There is going to be more work for immigrants like me now," he said. "We may see that in the next few weeks."

Groups that are part of the National Day Labor Organizing Network have also brought day laborers to do volunteer cleanup activities on weekends. El Centro del Inmigrante is trying to become a hiring center for day laborers, making sure that they work in safe and secure conditions.

"A center like that is urgently needed," Mercado said. "We feel that now, after Sandy, this is the right moment to do it."