50 Years Later: Undocumented Workers Can’t Access the American Dream
The largest Hispanic-owned business in the United States was founded by a working class man who emigrated from Cuba to the United States in 1959. That man, Jorge Mas Canosa, was recruited by an underground utility construction firm in 1969 by the name of Church & Tower, which he would later purchase. Under his guidance, Church & Tower joined forces with a construction company Burnup & Sims in 1994, and together the two companies, now one, assumed the name MasTec.
The present CEO of MasTec is Mas Canosa's son, Jose Mas. And, Mas recently shared his opinions with "Power Player" about that fact that an estimated 11 million immigrants without legal documentation are being denied the American dream that his father was able to access just 50 years ago.
"When you look at some of the things that people do to cross the borders ... they're risking their lives day in and day out not for a handout but for an opportunity to build a life that's better than what they can achieve where they are," Mas said.
Though Mas is a U.S.-born Republican, he disagrees with the GOP's opposition of immigration reform. Mas considers himself to be fiscally responsible, but he does not agree with the party's stance on many social issues... or, unfounded accusations that he only wants immigration reform so that he can access cheap labor from immigrant workers.
He believes that reform would regulate business management and aid the American tax payer.
"I'm at a disadvantage to that small business that's taking advantage of the system. That one employer that's out there who's not paying his employees correctly ... can go out and they can out price me any day of the week, so the people that are doing it right aren't benefitting from the system," Mas said. "Most of that work is being done by immigrants today. So why not create a process where they are paying taxes which they want? They don't want to be here hiding, having to cheat the government. Let them pay taxes let them pay into the system let them contribute into that system, and let them be part of our communities."
MasTec offers renewable energy, electric power, gas and oil, water and sewer, communication and installation-fulfillment services. Their workforce is made up of nearly 10,000 individuals, though it's unclear how many of those employees are Latino or how many are undocumented immigrants.
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