Trump Undocumented Workers Speak Out
Employees of Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, NJ, say they are undocumented in the U.S. and express disappointment at the president’s comments about immigrants. For five years, Victorina Morales has worked at the property, and her responsibilities sometimes include providing housekeeping services for the president’s private quarters.
Although the president may not have known about their status, Morales and a former employee say several within the housekeeping, maintenance, and landscaping crews don’t have papers to work legally in the U.S.
Morales said her status is known at the club, and she was hurt when she heard the president comparing recent immigrants to criminals:
“We are tired of the abuse, the insults, the way he talks about us when he knows that we are here helping him make money. We sweat it out to attend to his every need and have to put up with his humiliation.”
During the presidential campaign, President Trump said of his businesses, “We didn’t have one illegal immigrant on the job.”
Discussion:
What risks does Morales take by speaking out? Why might she forge ahead and not be deterred by those risks?
How is this a potential issue of integrity for President Trump?
Should President Trump be held accountable for undocumented workers on his properties? Why or why not?