A New York Times exposé last month revealed that nail salon workers, many of them undocumented immigrants, are paid below minimum wage, deprived of back pay and exposed to dangerous chemicals that pose serious health hazards. New York is now taking action against nail salons that exploit their employees.

This issue mirrors a broader pattern nationwide. More than 11 million undocumented immigrants toil in America’s fields, construction sites, salons and fast-food establishments — workers in a shadow economy with little ability to push back when employers disregard civil and human rights, including basic safeguards such as safe conditions and fair pay. Protection for these vulnerable workers is much needed at the state and national levels.

The most cited problem facing unauthorized immigrants is wage theft, an illegal practice in which employers withhold workers’ pay. Every year, 6.5 million undocumented workers experience wage theft. Low-wage workers across the nation lose roughly $50 billion annually.

Those who protest this abuse face employer retaliation, often culminating in deportation. Unlike most American workers, who are legally protected when they blow the whistle on employer wrongdoing, undocumented workers don’t have this right. Because of their legal status, employers can fire undocumented workers and hold hostage any owed wages. They can self-audit their employment records, invite immigration authorities to conduct an audit or simply tip off the authorities to avoid paying up.

Antonio Vanegas, for example, who worked at a Quick Pita at Reagan National Airport in Virginia, complained that he was being paid below minimum wage. His reward? He was detained and faced ongoing threats of deportation.

Low-income immigrants spend most of their earnings on basic necessities. Wage theft pushes these workers even further into the informal economy, causing job anxiety, robbing their households of much-needed income and sapping their neighborhoods of economic vitality.