Helping to Rebuild New Orleans, Illegally

by Martin Kaste, NPR

Among the small army of workers rebuilding New Orleans, one group in particular stays out of sight: The Brazilians. They tend to sleep in the houses they're gutting, and they're more culturally isolated than the Hispanics. The Brazilian workers describe how multiple layers of subcontractors and "labor agents" stand between them and their American employers, who enjoy deniability about the illegal work force.

Broadcast Dates

• All Things Considered, April 14, 2006