The two Guatemalan immigrants -- the first a 27-year-old laborer arrested in January, the second a 38-year-old homeless man arrested on Monday -- are symbolic of the devastating effect that the nation's troubled economy is having on immigrants, whether they are here legally or not, according to immigration experts.
"I've never seen things as difficult as they are now. There is a lot of desperation," said Sister Margaret Smyth with the North Fork Spanish Apostolate. "Last week, I had at least one person a day come here looking for a ticket back home. The amount of work is so sparse."
The American dream is falling apart for millions of immigrants who count on work in landscaping, construction, cleaning, food service and agriculture, said Steven Camarota with the Center for Immigration Studies in Washington, D.C.
"All of these fields have seen substantial rises in unemployment in recent months," said Mr. Camarota, who last month released the study, "Trends in Immigrant and Native Employment."
"It does seem that in the United States immigrants have been hit harder by this recession."
The researcher noted that immigrants from Guatemala have been hit particularly hard by the economic downturn because they mainly work in industries with the fastest-rising unemployment rates.
"Their unemployment is really making a return home attractive," Mr. Camarota said.
Carlos Montenegro, 27, formerly of Greenport, appears to have gotten what he asked for back in January.
The native of Guatemala called cops asking to be deported, then, after officers told him they didn't have a reason to arrest him, he kicked a police car. Charged with criminal mischief, Mr. Montenegro was picked up two months later by immigration officials, according to a spokesman with the Suffolk County district attorney's office.
It is unclear if Mr. Montenegro is still in the country.
Early Monday, Pilar Secaida Giron, 38, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct after he stood in traffic on Route 25 in Greenport because a Southold Police officer would not take him back to Guatemala, authorities said.
"He asked to go to Guatemala, then he proceeded to walk in the roadway," Sgt. Henry Santacroce said of Giron, who was released on $40 bail. "I have a feeling that it was because there's no work here."
Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell, reacting to the arrests of the Guatemalan men, said the incidents are the product of a hurting economy.
"It probably speaks volumes to our economy. The availability of work is very lean right now," he said. "It's a reminder that we have a long way to go, when people willing to work 16-hour days can't find work."
But the economy hasn't sent all immigrants packing. Many on the North Fork are still thriving, Sister Margaret said.
"There are people doing very well in the middle of all this," she said.
Anibal Cubule, an immigrant day laborer who lives in Flanders, said he was getting "just enough to keep himself going."
"It's very hard right now. The other years were not hard like this," Mr. Cubule said. "I go to different [employers] looking for painting or cleaning jobs, and they tell me, 'We'll call you when there's something.' "
Sister Margaret said it's difficult watching the American dream crash and burn.
"Many of these people had long-range plans of working and living here, and all of the sudden it's falling apart," she said.
bharmon@timesreview.com