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AFL-CIO Calls on Mayorkas to Protect Immigrant Workers
Call Equity Smart Realty at 888-670-6791 for a FREE consultation. AFL-CIO Calls on Mayorkas to Protect Immigrant Workers
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The Biden administration has made a historic commitment to support worker organizing and empowerment. To live up to that pledge, there are concrete steps the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) can and must take today. Specifically, we call on you to:
nProtect Immigrant Workers Who Take Action to Make Our Workplaces Safe and Fair. All too often, the threat of immigration enforcement is used as a weapon to crush worker organizing and chill the exercise of basic workplace rights. When immigrant workers are scared into silence, violations go unchecked—and that makes us all less safe at work. DHS should establish a streamlined process for undocumented workers and guest workers who are engaged in labor disputes to request and obtain temporary immigration status and work authorization so they can engage in protected activity and vindicate their rights.
nAnnounce Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Designations for All Eligible Countries. TPS is a critical tool to provide immediate and urgently needed relief to working families from countries destabilized by conflict or disasters. We welcome recent designations for Afghanistan, Cameroon and Ukraine, and note that many other countries in our region and around the world also meet the statutory requirements, including Ethiopia, Mauritania, and the hurricaneaffected countries of Central America. Extending TPS protections helps to support our fight for worker justice at home and abroad. The labor movement will continue to demand reforms that help lift standards and rights for all workers, with no exclusions. This is why we are calling you to use these important tools to ensure rights and protections for immigrants who are vital members of our workforce, our unions and our communities. Immigrants and refugees have always helped to build, serve and feed our nation, and we will not allow them to be treated as a second class of exploitable workers. We ask DHS to take action today to help us tear down barriers to worker organizing and empowerment so that all working people in our country can live and work safely and with dignity. Across the country, we are seeing a great resurgence in worker organizing. Workers are striking in record numbers and winning uphill battles against corporate giants. To keep this momentum going, we must continue to rise up and demand changes that will lift standards and rights for all workers, with no exclusions. All working people—regardless of immigration status—must have the right to organize for living wages, safe work conditions and dignity on the job without fear of retaliation.l
DHS Secretary Mayorkas Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com
Republican Party and Rep. Stefanik Failed American Democracy and Must Be Held Accountable
BY AMERICA’S VOICE
Washington, DC: A hallmark of a functioning democracy and healthy political parties are whether they are willing and capable of holding leaders accountable who jeopardize public safety by intentionally spreading racist lies. Judging by these basic standards, the Republican Party is falling woefully short following the white supremacist killings in Buffalo. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and other Republicans who have been helping to mainstream “replacement” and “invasion” conspiracies are neither chastened nor apologetic. In fact, Rep. Stefanik and other enablers are doubling down and lashing out at critics and observers highlighting her role in mainstreaming the formerly-fringe ideas. Rep. Stefanik’s response and refusal to engage in chastened reflection echoes that of former Trump official Steve Bannon, who stated, following the Buffalo shootings and the renewed focus on “replacement” and “invasion” conspiracies, “We're not going to back off … We are ascendant!” As a reminder, in late-April, Rep. Stefanik appeared on Bannon’s podcast and said, “it is an invasion…you do not have a country if you do not have secure borders,” one of the many examples of her embracing and elevating the “replacement” and “invasion” rhetoric similar to her fellow New Yorker, the Buffalo gunman. As New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie aptly put it: “Republican politicians and conservative media personalities who traffic in this rhetoric did not create the idea of the ‘great replacement,’ but they have adopted it. They have chosen to swim in the same ideological waters as the people responsible for these shootings and have chosen to amplify the ‘great replacement’ theory to the world even as it poisoned minds and produced violence. It is clear that some of these politicians have made a cynical decision to adopt this rhetoric for the sake of gaining power.” Alex Shephard, in The New Republic, writes, “Whether for ratings or votes, these ideas are now central to the Republican Party’s political messaging: that they are the one thing holding the country back from total chaos; that voting for Democrats will inevitably lead to policy shifts that will, in quick succession, lead to the downfall of the white race.” Yet, as House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) noted today, “We’re still waiting for a single House Republican leader to denounce replacement theory — the theory that led to the massacre in Buffalo.” And as Caucus Vice Chair Rep. Pete Aguilar (DCA) stated, “What once would have been disqualifying is now a mainstream point of view” among GOP candidates and elected officials. The following is a statement from
Rep Stefanik.Photo: house.gov
Zachary Mueller, America’s Voice Political Director: “The doubling down by Rep. Stefanik and the refusal by Republicans to engage in real soul-searching is both disturbing and altogether unsurprising - given the GOP’s track record following Charlottesville, Pittsburgh, El Paso, Poway, and January 6th. But it’s another call to action for Democrats, outside observers, and Republicans horrified by the dangerous drift of their party. It’s a moment of truth. It’s a time to be cleareyed about the white nationalist and antidemocratic sentiment emanating from the GOP. There must be political accountability for those who put us all at risk by spreading white nationalist lies.”l America's Voice – Harnessing the power of American voices and American
Immigrant Advocates Call Out Failure of Draft Maps to Fully Represent New York’s Diverse Communities
In response to the draft Congressional and State Senate maps released by the court-appointed special master, Murad Awawdeh, Executive Director, New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) and NYIC Actionreleased the following statement on May 16: “When the New York Immigration Coalition and our member and partner organizations worked tirelessly to ensure New Yorkers were counted for the census, we expected redistricting maps that would recognize and reflect the diversity of New York and the demographics changes of the past decade. Unfortunately from what we’ve seen, the draft maps released by the court-appointed special master have failed to represent the diversity of New York thus undermining representation for communities of color. These so-called non-partisan draft maps jeopardize districts that have historically given communities of color the opportunity to choose candidates of their choice, making us the real losers in this process.” l
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Volunteering at
THE IMMIGRANT'S JOURNAL LEGAL & EDUCATIONAL FUND, INC. Internship positions available throughout the year. The Immigrant's Journal Legal & Educational Fund, Inc. is an organization dedicated to the educational and economic empowerment of all immigrants and immigrant organizations here in the United States. We at the Journal recognize the enormous contribution of immigrants to this country economically, socially and politically. Since September 11, 2001, however, immigrants have increasingly been discriminated against and Congress has passed legislation curtailing the rights of immigrants here in the U.S., broadly claiming that immigrants are a threat to ''National Security.'' We at the Journal believe that these charges are unfounded, unsubstantiated and exaggerated. The Immigrant's Journal Volunteer Intern Program was introduced to give our volunteers the opportunity to work in an immigrant friendly environment while developing the necessary skills for college or law school. They assist our staff in resolving immigration and other legal concerns through personal interviews, radio, email and telephone contact. They also assist the public with citizenship applications and in researching whether or not children of naturalized U.S. citizens have derived citizenship from their parents. Some of our volunteers assist our legal staff by engaging in legal research and writing letters on other legal issues. Volunteer interns are also assigned various other jobs in our Youth Programs. Hours are flexible. Email your cover letter and resume or any questions to immjournal@aol.com
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Know Your Rights with ICE
If approached by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents, you have rights! What can I do if ICE is at my door?
• You do not have to immediately open the door for ICE and you do not have to speak to ICE. • From behind the closed door, you may ask them who they are and to show their badge, ID or business card through the window or peephole or to pass it under the closed door. • You can ask if they have a judicial warrant:
If they say No, you do not have to let them in. You may say,
If they say Yes, you can ask them to slide it under the door. To know if it is a judicial warrant, look to see who signed the warrant. A judicial warrant is a warrant from a court, signed by a judge. For example, judge signatures may have “Honorable/Hon.” “Judge” “Justice” or “Magistrate” in front of them.
• In an emergency, such as a threat to public safety or a threat to someone’s life, ICE can come in without asking your permission. If this happens, you still do not have to speak to ICE. • If ICE is looking for someone, you do not need to speak. If you choose to speak, you can ask ICE to leave contact information. While you do not need to tell ICE where the person is located, providing false information puts you at risk.
What can I do if ICE is inside my home?
• If ICE enters your home without your permission, you can tell them clearly: “I do not consent to you being in my home. Please leave.” Saying this may not always stop them, but it may help any future legal case. • If ICE starts to search rooms or items in your home, you can tell them, “I do not consent to your search.” You can continue to repeat this if they continue to search without consent. • You can tell them if there are children or other vulnerable residents in your home.
What can I do if ICE stops me on the street or in public?
• Before you say anything, you can ask, “Am I free to go?”
If they say Yes: you can say,
“I don’t want to answer your questions”
If they say No: you can say,
If ICE agents try to search your pockets or belongings, you can say,
If they search you anyway, you cannot physically stop them, but clearly saying it may be important in any future legal case.
This fact sheet gives only general information. It is not legal advice. Consult an attorney for legal advice. English Call 855-768-8845 for an Immigration Consultation
