Workers' hope mixed with caution

As President Bush outlined his immigration plan yesterday afternoon, his speech crackled out of a radio at the Brazilian Immigrant Center in Allston and into the lives of undocumented workers, who greeted the news with a large dose of approval and a small measure of skepticism.

The proposal, still far from becoming law, comes during an election year, and may fall short of granting permanent residency to immigrants in this country illegally.

Still, many undocumented workers in the Boston area saw even the possibility of gaining legal status as cause for celebration.

Manuel, a 40-year-old construction worker from Brazil who, like other undocumented immigrants, asked to be identified only by his first name, said Bush's proposal brought a glimmer of hope in an existence that he said has often made him feel like a "trapped rat" -- treading a cycle of work and sleep, in constant fear of detention or deportation, and with little hope of a better future.

Manuel has worked low-paying jobs as a busboy, landscaper, and construction worker since arriving in the United States three years ago.

Yesterday, he had gone to the immigrant center in Allston for help after his supervisor punched him and threatened to report him to immigration officials, he said.

"Right now, I feel totally insecure, totally helpless. I feel like the last three years of my life have been wasted because I have been living in fear," Manuel said, speaking through an interpreter. "If I had legal documents, life would be so much better. I could get my driver's license. Maybe I could buy a house. I could live in peace and not be afraid. I would be happier. I know that."

For Gisele, a 30-year-old Brazilian who holds two jobs as a supermarket stock clerk, changes in immigration law like those proposed by Bush would give her the chance to have the kind of future she envisioned when she came to this country five years ago.

Then, she was newly graduated from college with a degree in business administration, in search of better job opportunities and a safer life, free from the crime and violence plaguing her native country.

She found safety, but instead of climbing the career ladder, Gisele has been stuck on the bottom rung.

Gisele's attempts to further her education, seek more rewarding work, and rent certain apartments have been thwarted by her immigration status.

Instead, like many other undocumented workers, Gisele said her life centers on work and day-to-day survival. She tries to save as much money as possible, always aware of the possibility that she might be deported at any moment.

"The president should consider that some people come here with a dream to make a better life for themselves," said Gisele, who spoke through an interpreter. "There are so many opportunities here, . . . but you can still be deported tomorrow."

Now, said Gisele, she often feels like an uninvited intruder in this country.

If Bush's proposal paves the way for her to gain legal status, she said, she would feel welcomed, able to step out of the shadows and into reach of a real life here.

At Centro Presente in Cambridge, which serves primarily immigrants from Central and South America, the news also prompted optimism tempered by realism.

Fernando, a 25-year-old construction worker from Ecuador, said he was encouraged, but also wondered about the political motivations behind Bush's announcement.

"It will be great if it happens, but the president should have suggested this sooner," said Fernando, speaking in Spanish. "It would open the door to so many things for us. Just the ability to work without insecurity would make a big difference."

Fernando said he came to the United States two years ago to seek medical attention for his wife, who was then pregnant. Their son, born in this country, is a US citizen.

If Bush's plan becomes law, Fernando said, it could enable him to enroll in college and forge a better life for his child.

"It is a step in a positive direction. At least it acknowledged the positive contributions that immigrants have been making to the US for years, but it remains to be seen what happens now," said Elena Letona, the agency's director.

"But it does give us an opportunity to organize around something and push to turn these promises into reality," Letona said.

"It gives people hope, and it could change life for thousands of people working in Massachusetts."