Vol. 72/No. 19      May 12, 2008

“We need to stop the immigration cops from raiding our restaurants,” said Hussain Ahmed, a chef from Buckinghamshire. “Some of these workers have lived and worked up to 8, 10, and 20 years in this country. We need to fight for them to be regularized.” Reflecting the opinion of many workers at the rally, he said, “To be able to work is a human right.”

Buses came from cities and towns across England, Wales, and Scotland. Banners presented a range of demands, including “Support the move to regularize undocumented workers,” and “SOL: Save Our Livelihoods.” A contingent from the Chinese Immigration Concern Committee had placards calling for an end to British Immigration Agency (BIA) raids at Chinese restaurants. Immigration cops seized 29 workers in London’s Chinatown in October. Bao Dong, a Chinese restaurant worker from Colchester in East England, said that Chinese restaurants there had been raided too.

The demonstration was called by the Ethnic Catering Alliance, and included the Bangladeshi Caterers Association, the Guild of Bangladeshi Restaurateurs, and the Bangladeshi Chamber of Commerce. Several restaurant owners spoke at the rally, complaining of intimidation by cops from the BIA.

A restaurant owner from Kent said that it was not so much the raids he objected to, “but the way they do them. They come in at the busiest times, intimidate the customers and treat us like criminals. Why don’t they check ports?”

“I oppose these immigration raids and deportations, and the heavy fines for restaurant owners,” said Mohmammed Rahmen, joint secretary of the Bangladesh Teachers Association and a member of the National Union of Teachers. His family is in the restaurant business.

Young women from the Chinese community staffed a table encouraging participants to sign a letter asking members of Parliament to call on the immigration minister to stop raids on catering outlets, to place catering workers on a government “Shortage Occupation List,” and to grant workers in the catering industry an automatic 50 points toward their immigration application.

A points-based system introduced in February will allow only “skilled” workers into the United Kingdom. In addition, all applicants will have to pass an English test, unless they have 1 million pounds or more to invest.
 
 
Related articles:
Legalize all immigrants now! Stop the raids and deportations!
Statement by Socialist Workers Party presidential candidate
California students protest move to deport Vietnamese
YS builds May Day actions on campuses, at protests
‘More people are standing up to say: Enough!’
Flor Crisóstomo presses fight against U.S. gov’t effort to deport her  
 
 
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