Ruth A. Charles 
Immigrant Women”s Lives [PDF ebook] 
Weaving Garment Work and Legislative Policy

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 its highlighted how it affects these women and their families. Her view is that the media and public discussion tends 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. much these women it also illuminates how much personally the woman have sacrificed in the way of social status, cultural comfort, and family relationships to come to the United States.