Hispanics Build a Solid Base

Americans, they say, don't recognize how good they have it and because of that, sometimes they are lazy. "Those who come here easily don't work hard," Osorio says. "But the person who has had to suffer to get here, they appreciate the opportunity to work." His two roommates nod in agreement.

He marvels at how much he makes. "By 5 a.m. in the morning, we've made more here on our jobs than we'd make on a job back home in a month," he said. "Here we make as much as a lawyer does in a week back in Guatemala."

Osorio, who started at Wood Steel in November 2001, makes $962 a week, or $50,024 a year. He and his two brothers send a total of about $1,500 a month to their seven siblings and parents. Osorio is saving most of the rest of his money to start a tire-repair business with his younger brother in Guatemala.

Osorio says he is proud of the contributions Hispanics have made to the Washington area. Hanging on his wall are five digital photos of a job at 900 7th St. that Osorio says was supposed to have taken nine months. His team finished it in seven.

He thinks immigrants have contributed significantly to the vitality of the Washington economy. So government efforts to get tough with illegal immigrants puzzle and frustrate him.

Developers, union officials and social workers estimate that half of the construction workforce is here illegally, although precise numbers are hard to come by. Some companies, such as Wood, say they check documents, though others say they depend on unions to screen out undocumented workers. Some workers say they join unions to avoid having their papers closely scrutinized by employers. But some unions say they lack the resources to verify a worker's legal status.

Dean Boyd, a spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, says the agency is focused on tracking illegal aliens who may be a threat to homeland security. Boyd says that employers can be fined for hiring an undocumented worker but that the government must prove the employer knew the worker was here illegally. Illegal workers often have legitimate-looking documents, and employers are not obligated to verify that the documents are authentic, according to an immigration official.

Osorio and others say immigration officials don't show up at job sites. But they tell stories about friends being pulled over by the police for a traffic violation and getting caught for being in the United States without a proper visa. It makes them feel unwelcome here and adds to their desire to keep a low profile. As a result, they spend their spare time with other Latinos.

After Hours

At 4:30 p.m., Osorio and his roommates leave their house for a field in Cheverly a few miles away to play soccer. For Osorio and his friends, soccer is the biggest leisure activity.

The crowds are biggest on Sundays, when they often gather on a grassy field near a shopping center called the Plaza del Mercado in Silver Spring. On the sidelines, wives cheer, toddlers wander around and friends munch fried yucca and thinly sliced steak wrapped in warm tortillas cooked on portable grills. Spectators often number more than 100.

On this day, there are only a handful of people. They play for about four hours and agree to meet the next day.

When they arrive home, one of Osorio's roommates flips on Telemundo to catch the end of his favorite nightly soap opera, "Betting for Your Love." After it is over, they shuffle off to bed.

Osorio sets the alarm for 3:45 a.m.