First published in 1999

Driven by the interest of the author, this study looks at the lives of immigrant women in central New York who are working in the garment industry in hope that by raising awareness Congress will current review legislation when it's highlighted how it affects these women and their families.

Her view is that the media and public discussion tend to present these women as if they are all illegal immigrants looking for welfare benefits instead of law-abiding, hard-working residents.

This research is written to describe what these women are like, what their experiences regarding immigration have been, and how arbitrary legislative policies and regulations affect them. It also illuminates how much personally the women have sacrificed in the way of social status, cultural comfort, and family relationships to come to the United States.