At 7am, Elizabeth Reyes lines up at a designated street corner, called la parada, next to a Brooklyn highway overpass. As the sun rises higher, drivers pull up with offers shouted from the window in Spanish: house cleaning, dishwashing. It’s hours before an employer finally arrives with the opportunity she’s waiting for: construction.
“Quién tiene tarjeta?” Who has a card? he yells out. He’s not referring to immigration documents, but a certification by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Osha). When Reyes yells that she does, the driver replies, “Vamos,” and motions for her to hop in.
