Lured by jobs paying $15 to $17 an hour, Spanish-speaking day laborers have flooded into New Orleans to haul out debris, clear downed trees, put in drywall and perform other tasks as rebuilding takes hold in the city. No one knows how many immigrants have descended here since Katrina ravaged the city five weeks ago, but their presence is visible throughout the city. The influx of Latino workers is raising concern among city officials, who worry that the city will be "overrun by Mexican workers."
See "Immigrants Rush to New Orleans as Contractors Fight for Workers", Peter Pae, Los Angeles Times, October 9, 2005