Wednesday, September 04, 2013

Immigrant Rights Groups call upon AFL-CIO to take a stronger position on immigration reform


Immigrant rights' groups to hold immigration reform convention to oppose Senate Bill S744. Community groups, workers and union members call on AFL-CIO to take a stronger position.

LOS ANGELES, CA | Immigrant rights groups, teachers, students and Unions' members will hold a press conference to call on the AFL-CIO to take a stronger position on immigration reform during their convention in Los Angeles this weekend. Groups will further ask that the House of Labor demand of President Obama a fair and humane immigration reform during the President's speech .at their convention on Monday.

"The proposed 'immigration reform' (S.744) is really a disguised homeland security State bill, a drastic national defense (militarization) revamp, and a neoliberal labor reform with broad implications for all workers, irrespective of national origin or documentation," said Gabriel Elliott, Organizer of Todo Poder al Pueblo Collective. "This bill has been tailor-made for Wall Street, for the corporations and war contractors. Our goal is simply to uphold a standard of justice that serves the interests of working families and communities."

"Since President Obama took office more than 500,000 young people have been deported who would have otherwise qualified for the Deferred Action permit. This actually exceeds the 360,000 youth who have qualified for the permit," said Xelha Lopez, a director of Hermandad Mexicana. "We demand that all parents of U.S. citizens also be granted similar Deferred Action status, and other measures under the executive discretionary authority which the president possesses, including an immediate moratorium on deportations and separations of our families."

The United Front for Dignity and Justice for Migrants and Workers is an important vehicle for independent organizations of migrant workers and immigrant families to unite to express our option for immigration reform. It seeks a non-corporate family oriented immigration reform much different from what President Obama and the Democratic Party leadership have proposed, and has been embraced by Labor.

WHO: United Front for Dignity and Justice for Migrants and Workers, Southern California Immigration Coalition, Todo Poder al Pueblo Collective, teachers, students and community groups

WHAT:Press conference demanding AFL-CIO take a stronger position on Immigration Reform during their convention and subsequent visit by President Obama.

WHEN: Thursday, September 5, 2013, 5PM

WHERE: LA Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles

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