burmese immigrants struggling in pittsburgh area

Here's a story about the large numbers of political refugees from Burma who have called the Pittsburgh area home for several years, but have been struggling just to get by: Burmese Refugees Struggling In Pittsburgh Area.

The U.S. has taken in more than 10,000 Burmese refugees with the promise of housing, jobs and eventual citizenship. However, the 400 or so who have settled in the Pittsburgh area have not fared well.

The article interviews members of a family of eight who are living in a two-bedroom apartment, and after three years of working, still do not make enough money to support themselves, while other find themselves evicted from their apartments.

Many of these refugees apparently work at the W&K Steel Refabrication Plant, and after three years they're making $9.50 an hour -- about half of what their "American counterparts" are making. Um, that's called wage discrimination.

According to one Burmese immigrant living in these circustances, life was apparently better back in the refugee camp. Ouch. What is being done to help these people get off their feet? Obviously, the current programs in place are not enough.