The political debate on illegal immigration is one of the most challenging and divisive issues facing America today. With few changes in immigration laws since 1986, the undocumented population has swelled to an estimated 11 million.
Deconstructed unravels the economic impact and human cost of illegal immigration through the eyes of Houston businessman Stan Marek. A descendant of Czech immigrants, Marek runs one of the largest specialty subcontracting firms in the U.S. and has had a front-row seat as the immigration crisis has unfolded over the past 40 years. He has seen construction work devolve from offering middle-class careers to trapping illegal immigrants in the shadows of the economy— paid in cash, without overtime or access to health care. Marek has long warned of a looming tipping point—for his industry, the national economy, and undocumented immigrants themselves. It's a crisis he is determined to prevent.
In Deconstructed, award-winning business journalist Loren Steffy traces Marek's own family history, intertwined with changes in immigration law for more than a century. Steffy examines the economic forces driving illegal immigration and outlines solutions that could enhance our economy, the construction business, and the lives of immigrants.