BOONE—Paul Cuadros pulled no punches when he talked about the growing number of Latino workers immigrating to North Carolina and the nation.

Speaking at Appalachian State University’s fall convocation, the award-winning author said the silent migration of Latino workers which began in the late 20th century has been orchestrated by U.S. corporations and the government—but that it is everyone’s concern.

Cuadros has written about Latino migration to the South for TIME magazine, the Chicago Reporter and other publications, and in his book “A Home on the Field: How One Championship Team Inspires Hope for the Revival of Small Town America.” The book tells the story of how Siler City comes to grips with Latino immigration through the lives of the local high school
soccer team.

He began his focus on Latino workers in the United States after learning of the large numbers who were migrating to work in rural meat packing and poultry processing towns in the Midwest and the Southeast.” I knew then that a great silent migration was occurring; one that would forever alter the character of this country,” he said.

“What many people did not realize, is that the great Latino migration to America was an orchestrated event,” Cuadros said. American agribusinesseses were advertising for processing workers in Mexico, along the border and in states with traditional Latino populations. In some instances, companies bused workers into rural towns with large food processing plants, he said.

“In North Carolina, companies offered incentives for workers to bring their families,” Cuadros said.

At the same time, the North American Free Trade Agreement had negatively impacted the corn market in Mexico. Farmers went out of business because they could no longer compete with the cheaper, tax-subsidized corn from the American market.

“There was work to be done here, and so they came anyway they could,” Cuadros said. “American business didn’t care how they came. The U.S. Congress didn’t care. The men running for president in last night’s (Republican) debate didn’t care either. If big business and our representatives had really cared, then they would have actually provided the visas for people to come legitimately.”

Cuadros said business and the government didn’t want a legitimate workforce. “They wanted a disposable one that when they didn’t need them anymore, they could toss them away, or round them up and deport them, just as you are seeing today. This was an invitation extended by the best representatives of our country—corporate America.”

Americans have become angry with the results, Cuadros said. But rather than react with anger, he hopes North Carolinas and others move toward acceptance.

“People are confused and angry about immigration,” Cuadros said. “No one asked Americans if they wanted this to occur. But who should America hold accountable for this migration and for the undocumented: the worker with the sixth-grade education who crosses the border to feed his family, or politicians and business leaders who plotted and orchestrated this event?”

The American consumer is equally responsible for the influx of migrant workers to the United States, Cuadros said. “All of us have benefited greatly from the migration of Latino labor these last 20 years. Our homes have been built by undocumented hands, our roads have been widened by illegal workers, our universities are being built by undocumented construction workers,” he said. “And practically all of our food is harvested, processed and served by Latino immigrant workers. We are all responsible for this migration one way or another.”

To better address immigration issues, citizens should work to create a system in which companies that need labor can get legal workers, and deal with the forces that drive people from their home countries in search of work, so that they can remain in their home country if they want.

“Rather than condemn and bring down the heavy fist of self-righteousness, I would ask that you open your hands and reach out,” he said. “A two-fisted country serves no one.”

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