Immigrant Women's Lives

First published in 1999. Driven by the interest of the author this study looks at the lives of immigrant women in central New York who are working in the garment industry in hope that by raising awareness Congress will current review legislation when its highlighted how it affects these women and their families. Her view is that the media and public discussion tends to present these women as if they are all illegal immigrants looking for welfare benefits instead of law-abiding, hard-working residents. This research is written to describe what these women are like, what their experiences regarding immigration have been, and how arbitrary legislative policies and regulations affect them. much these women it also illuminates how much personally the woman have sacrificed in the way of social status, cultural comfort, and family relationships to come to the United States.

Ruth A. Charles

Acknowledgements  List of Tables  Introduction  Chapter 1: Threading Past and Present Immigration Policy and Labor Chapter 2: Designing the Study - Research Methods and Context Chapter 3: "Oh My God!!" - Arriving in the United States Chapter 4: "It's Different Here" - Cross Cultural Experiences in the United States Chapter 5: Experiences and Changes in the Work Force Employment Status and Involvement Chapter 6: The Good and the Bad - Work on the Factory Floor Chapter 7: Bridging Life Stories and Policy Implications Chapter 8: Weaving Legislation and Lives  Bibliography  Index