Immigrant women in the U.S. have often been underappreciated. They are often portrayed as subservient and as menial workers in Hollywood. The value of undocumented women is often obscured or ignored. In today’s America where anti-immigrant sentiment is high, it is important to note the impact that these women have on the U.S. economy, workforce, and on our way of life.
Women especially immigrant Women in the workforce are often undervalued and their contributions are underappreciated. In the U.S. women, Immigrant women are about 16.3 percent of all employed women in the U.S. and are about 12.3 million strong. 2.5 million of those immigrant women are undocumented and 1.6 of those 2.5 million undocumented women are essential workers.
During this pandemic, their impact has been even more notable as they a majority work in the Health Care, Social Assistance, Accommodation, and Food Service industries which have been considered essential during the pandemic. These immigrant women have been at the forefront of keeping society moving during the last two turbulent years in this country and their contributions were essential even before the pandemic.
A recent report has shown that 3 in 4 undocumented immigrants in the workforce are essential workers. They also play an important role in maintaining the food supply chain and keeping the U.S. fed as more than 400K work as cooks or in food prep and 128K are agricultural workers.
Immigrant women are also crucial to our education system with more than 358,000 working as Secondary School, Special Education, and Pre School teachers. A job that has also been essential throughout the pandemic.
In addition to their great contribution to the U.S. workforce they also have additional contributions in their support for their children and husbands who also tend to hold essential jobs in our workforce. The immigrant woman has for decades worked to keep the U.S. running in many industries that are essential to our work of life. Those documented and undocumented women make the life we take for granted possible and deserve more respect than they typically get.
Abraham Cepeda, Attorney at Law
Cultura Law LLC
Email: Culturalaw@gmail.com
