The problem is nationwide, stated the Southern Poverty Law Center. In a 2009 study, the center said that less than half of undocumented immigrants had confidence in law enforcement and that criminals saw them as "walking ATMs."

Damian estimates that at least two-thirds of the people here are undocumented, and that has made it a magnet for robberies over the years. Gangs know undocumented day workers are especially lucrative targets, he says. Their pockets are often stuffed with a day's or even a week's worth of wages. The street term for these men: "walking ATMs."

Since many undocumented immigrants are unable to open bank accounts, they are often forced to carry large amounts of cash, making them susceptible [to] crime or, as Cruz-Takash called it, "walking ATMs."

Majodina says the commission has conducted "countless" workshops with police in Gauteng, but guidelines for handling people thought to be foreigners continue to be ignored. "Unfortunately, some police officers regard these people as walking ATMs and so they are sucked into a corrupt cycle because it is easier to pay and be let out of the police van than be carted off to a police station."