May 18, 2007

Immigration Deal Hurts Workers and Fails to Live Up to American Value

Washington DC—The UFCW is committed to working with all members of Congress on achieving meaningful immigration reform that is consistent with fundamental American values, protects all workers, provides immigrants an opportunity to fully participate in our democratic system and achieve the American dream.

While today’s deal reached on immigration provides an opening for comprehensive legislation on this critical issue, it has a long way to go before it can provide meaningful reform.

Too many aspects of the deal fail to live up to fundamental American principles of democracy and fairness.

We are a nation of inclusion—guestworker programs would only turn permanent jobs into temporary ones, create an underclass of exploited workers, and lower workplace standards for all workers.

We are a nation that values families—to create a point-system that would keep families apart or favor one family ahead of others undermines basic fairness and community stability.

We are a nation of opportunity—to create a system that favors one class of workers ahead of other workers closes the door to the American dream for millions of hard-working but less-skilled immigrants.

Any legislation that departs from these fundamental values will only exacerbate the systemic problems of our current immigration system.