Why are there so many Mexican guys hanging around outside my local Home Depot?

Question

I did my best to find out. I went and asked, but nobody spoke english.

I live in northern California by the way.

Answer 1

they are all looking for work. contractors dont always have enough guys on the job, and all those guys know that contractors pay a nice price for an extra set of hands (especially compared to a regular wage back in mexico, or puerto rico, or cuba) so this would be why, i'm guessing they're probably illegal. (otherwise they'd apply at a regular construction place for a job) its a great way to get paid under the table, and often times you can find permanent work this way if you truly are a good worker. and of course its an awesome way to get hired the same day you start looking for work if you really dont care to get a little dirty. those guys have it hard though. they're the guys you'll see way up high on a hot sweaty day nailing a roof together. they might get $20 for a full day of work, since the contractor didnt really legally hire them, he just pulls his pickup truck over and says in spanish "hey i need 3 guys, you and you and you look OK." and they hop in the back of the truck, or sometimes the conversation entails more information such as "do you know how a pressure washer works?" and depending on what the guy standing outside the hardware store says, is whether or not he gets the job.

pretty much, any hardware store, especially those in california, are going to have about a dozen, or more (if you're in a big city) just standing around on a corner, or in a parking lot by a hardware store, or near a hardware store. they're mostly illegal, and they're just looking for some quick money, willing to do some hard work to get it done.

i grew up in a little tiny town in southern california that had an ace hardware store on the main avenue in town, and instead of standing up against the hardware store, they chose to stand on the corner that the hardware store sat at on the street, because the parking lot was very small, and the hardware store was actually quite close to the road. but even when i was little i can remember there being at least 6 guys during any time of the day just standing around. in the morning there were always about a dozen. no one guy ever stood there all the time every day, like i said, some of them were illegal, and most likely had family somewhere else, and were doing this for food.

Answer 2

I live near St. Louis, MO and they hang around our Home Depots sometimes too. This is because there is obviously a lot of work being done in the area (either from a construction boom or a natural disaster like storms, earthquake, etc.) and these guys are the crew for one of the contractors looking for work. They may not speak English, but I've seen them and they work damn hard for little money. Harder than most people I know.

Answer 3

Many contractors use undocumented workers. Home Depot is a central location to get day laborers.

Mind you, not all of them (or maybe any of them) are definitely undocumented.

Also, not all are necessarily Mexican -- they may come from other countries, too.

Finally, suggest staying out of their business because I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want someone questioning you (in English or another language) about what you are doing standing somewhere.

Answer 4

Since contractors probably buy materials at Home Depot, they probably hang out there hoping to get work. That probably works for them or they'd hang out somewhere else.

Answer 5

I have the SAME problem in So Cal!! But then again there are pretty much Mexicans hanging out in front of everything here.

Answer 6

The dudes want someone to hire them for house work

Answer 7

Because they illegally entered the country and are looking for work.

Answer 8

Cause they're all looking for a cash job essay!

Answer 9

They are hungry and want you to bring them home.............to work on your HDepot project for $4 an hr.!!!!

Answer 10

So that maybe someone can pick them up and give them a job to do.