Dominican Abroad and working

Chris_NJ · #1 09-01-2004, 04:21 PM

Good idea for a forum.

I'll ask a question that I was pondering this morning. My girlfriend in the past month has fallen into the category of "Dominican abroad." She is about to start studying here in US with a F-1 student visa which technically does not let her work. She found and started a cash/under the table job last week as a bartender/waitress in a Cuban bar/restaurant.

My question is what is the likelyhood of her being caught and deported for working illegaly? I initially was not worried at all as there are millions of people working illegaly and I would hope that INS is more worried about catching terrorists than with restaurant workers. The place that she is working seems ok with respect that it looks like there are no problems with drugs, fights (ie things that would draw police attention) and it is in a town (Union City, NJ) where a large percentage of workers are Hispanic and not working legally.

The only thing that slightly worries me is that she does serve alcohol and obviously without a bartenders' licence. Obviously, there are many people working in this situation for many years but after the all the hard work for her to get here it would be horrific for her to be deported for making a couple hundred a week.

Should she be worried and try to find a job elsewhere or are her chances of being caught 1 in a million? Does anyone heard of specific cases of people sent back to DR or other Latin American countries for simply working illegally (not other crimes).

Thanks - Chris

lensky · #2 10-05-2004, 03:35 PM

HMMM, I Think you in your quest to help your friend you just increased her chances to get "caught" by revealing the town where she works, the type of business she works at, the job she is performing....Anyplace where there is a big concentration of hispanics there is always danger of being question by INS.

deelt · #3 10-05-2004, 07:05 PM

INS no longer exists as an entity. It is now called BCIS, the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lensky

being question by INS.

FuegoAzul21 · #4 10-05-2004, 09:20 PM

If the place seems pretty safe , as in no fights ,prostitution, or any other crazy stuff , she should be alright and the authoritys really only do those types of searchs in bars/restaurants unless there is something really serious goin on .As someone who has lived in union city most of his life ,I'D have to say that if the authoritys here were into catching illegal immigrants ,85% of the city would be deported

Hillbilly · #5 10-05-2004, 09:54 PM

The only place you could get good latino food back in the 60s...and 70s. The Cubans rejuvenated that town and made it a great place to visit.

Actually, I think you can work on a studen visa, but just a few hours per week. I know my wife worked at FDU when we were doing our graduate studies. She had a Social Security number and everything.

However, it is difficult to imagine that she would be hasseled on this. One thing, if the new agency is looking for illegals, Berganline ave is one good place to start...

Better check with the new agency on what she can and cannot do....

HB

Chris_NJ · #6 10-06-2004, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hillbilly

Actually, I think you can work on a studen visa, but just a few hours per week. I know my wife worked at FDU when we were doing our graduate studies. She had a Social Security number and everything.

From what we have read, after the completion of 1 semester the student can work 20 hours/week on campus (at this time one can get social security card). My g/f can do this in January. Until then, it will have to be cash jobs.

FYI - Bergenline now has restaurants from almost every Latin American country in addition to Cuban - there is Columbian, Peruvian, Ecuadorian, Salvadorean, Dominican, etc.

Chris_NJ · #7 10-06-2004, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FuegoAzul21

If the place seems pretty safe , as in no fights ,prostitution, or any other crazy stuff , she should be alright and the authoritys really only do those types of searchs in bars/restaurants unless there is something really serious goin on .As someone who has lived in union city most of his life ,I'D have to say that if the authoritys here were into catching illegal immigrants ,85% of the city would be deported

This was my rational - so many people are working like this so I would think as long as there are no serious problems the BCIS would have "bigger fish to fry."

And now she is doing manicures/pedicures - so at least there is no alcohol involved.

Talldrink · #8 10-06-2004, 11:22 AM

Chris, she is not the only one that is working w/o papers there. I can assure you that all the cooks and bustboys are working in the same manner as well - not only in her restaurant, but also the one next to it and the one in front of it. Tell her to keep her eye out and if the her fellow servers see something fishy, they will tell her.

Lastly, you mentioned that she is doing manies and peddies now - if she is working at a hair salon, there is a bigger chance of her getting caught w/o a Cosmetologist license there and getting the owner as well as herself into trouble. If she is in fact working at a salon, they should have her work after 3, which is the time the inspectors stop visiting salons. This is the general rule for working w/o a license at hair salons.

Check your PMs...

Ricardo900 · #9 10-06-2004, 10:22 PM

As long as she has a visa to be here, they won't bother her too much. There are thousands of illegal mexican working freely, she just need to find other working dominicans who know the game and can school her as to where and when to work. Now just marry her and get the ball rollin

nycgirl · #10 10-14-2004, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris_NJ

Good idea for a forum.

I'll ask a question that I was pondering this morning. My girlfriend in the past month has fallen into the category of "Dominican abroad." She is about to start studying here in US with a F-1 student visa which technically does not let her work. She found and started a cash/under the table job last week as a bartender/waitress in a Cuban bar/restaurant.

My question is what is the likelyhood of her being caught and deported for working illegaly? I initially was not worried at all as there are millions of people working illegaly and I would hope that INS is more worried about catching terrorists than with restaurant workers. The place that she is working seems ok with respect that it looks like there are no problems with drugs, fights (ie things that would draw police attention) and it is in a town (Union City, NJ) where a large percentage of workers are Hispanic and not working legally.

The only thing that slightly worries me is that she does serve alcohol and obviously without a bartenders' licence. Obviously, there are many people working in this situation for many years but after the all the hard work for her to get here it would be horrific for her to be deported for making a couple hundred a week.

Should she be worried and try to find a job elsewhere or are her chances of being caught 1 in a million? Does anyone heard of specific cases of people sent back to DR or other Latin American countries for simply working illegally (not other crimes).

Thanks - Chris

Hey Chris,
first- you don't need a bartender license to bartend here. second, even american citizens that bartend, work mostly off the books.