In 2017, José Martin Paz Flores fell from a ladder while installing drywall and broke his leg — a common injury in the construction industry, where workers face some of the nation’s highest rates of both fatal and non-fatal accidents.
But what happened next was far from ordinary.
Flores’s employer lacked active workers’ compensation insurance — a legal requirement meant to cover injured employees’ medical bills and lost wages. When Flores later visited his employer to receive cash for medical expenses, he was arrested on the spot by Boston Police and ICE agents — all in front of his 2-year-old son.
His case has become a warning sign for immigrant workers across the country, as the Trump administration escalates workplace immigration raids. The crackdown has triggered protests in cities like Los Angeles and stoked fear among millions of undocumented workers.
“You’re going to see more work site enforcement than you’ve ever seen in the history of this nation,” promised Tom Homan, the administration’s so-called “border czar.” He declared a campaign to “flood the zone” with enforcement — a move that experts say will likely discourage undocumented workers from reporting unsafe conditions or labor abuses like wage theft.
Undocumented Workers in High-Risk Jobs
Millions of undocumented immigrants, like Flores, work in high-risk industries such as construction, agriculture, manufacturing, and transportation. Research consistently shows immigrant workers suffer higher rates of job-related injuries, chemical exposure, and workplace deaths. They’re also especially vulnerable to wage theft and exploitation.
Despite these dangers, many undocumented workers hesitate to report injuries or unsafe conditions — fearing retaliation, job loss, or deportation.
Legally, all workers in the U.S. — regardless of immigration status — are protected by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which requires employers to provide a safe workplace. In most states, undocumented workers are also eligible for workers’ compensation. But those rights are often difficult to exercise when retaliation is just a phone call to ICE away.
Children in Harm’s Way
Even more alarming is the growing number of undocumented children being exploited in dangerous jobs. Amid rollbacks of child labor laws in some states, minors are reportedly being put to work in hazardous industries like meatpacking and auto manufacturing — often under the threat of deportation.
Essential, Yet Vulnerable
The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare just how essential undocumented workers are to the U.S. economy. A report from the Center for American Progress highlighted their roles in key sectors like food production, delivery services, and healthcare — all while facing greater risk of infection.
Yet even as they keep vital industries running, undocumented workers remain among the least protected. Recent budget cuts and layoffs at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the federal agency tasked with researching workplace hazards, have further undermined efforts to monitor and respond to occupational health threats.
Justice for Flores — and a Warning for Others
Flores knew his rights and stood up for them. His injury was reported to OSHA, prompting an investigation into his employer. In 2022 — five years after his injury and arrest — a federal jury ruled that Flores was unlawfully retaliated against and awarded him a substantial settlement.
But not every worker has the knowledge, resources, or courage to take that stand.
As immigration raids ramp up, the risk is that more workers — essential but undocumented — will remain silent in the face of danger, abuse, and exploitation. The nation’s labor protections only work if they apply to everyone — and if every worker, regardless of status, feels safe enough to demand them.
