In response to the Sensenbrenner bill, passed by the House of Representatives, which would brand as a felon anyone living in the United States without all their papers in order, hundreds of thousands have proclaimed, “We are workers, not criminals.” That response cuts right through the employers’ divide-and-rule tactics. It underscores why supporting full immediate legal rights for all those living in the United States will strengthen the entire working class in our common fight against the bosses’ assaults on our living standards, job conditions, wages, and rights.

The mass protests against anti-immigrant measures demonstrate the increased self-confidence of foreign-born workers, including many of the nearly 12 million who are undocumented. “We’re here, we’re not leaving, and if you kick us out we will return,” millions say. This combative mood was particularly visible in Los Angeles, where between 500,000 and 1 million people poured into the streets in a sea of Mexican and other flags, and where tens of thousands of high school students walked out of classes despite school “lockdowns.”

The unprecedented scope of these protests surprised the U.S. rulers and is having an impact on U.S. politics. The actions have spread and deepened divisions among the wealthy rulers over immigration policy and made it less likely that Congress will adopt any measure criminalizing the undocumented.

All the bills under debate by Democratic and Republican politicians are designed to serve the needs of the billionaire rulers at the expense of working people. Their purpose is not to drive foreign-born workers out of the United States but to push them down. From reinforcing the border cops to establishing a “guest worker” program, the aim of these measures is to maintain a pariah layer of the working class with fewer legal protections and subject to superexploitation by the employers.

The most effective answer to these attacks is to demand immediate amnesty for all immigrants without papers. All those residing in this country, whether born here or abroad, should be able to work and live free from discrimination, free from the threat of police harassment, arrest, and deportation. The undocumented should receive permanent resident status now, opening the way for them to obtain citizenship. No waiting periods, fines, or other onerous requirements. Getting a green card would give millions the right to live and work in the United States—undermining the bosses’ ability to superexploit them—and to travel freely in and out of the country.

This demand should be advanced by the labor movement and others, along with pressing for unionizing all workers—native- and foreign-born, in building the ongoing mobilizations for immigrant rights, including the marches around the April 10 national day of action.
 
 
Related articles:
‘Legalize all immigrants!’
Demand 25,000 demonstrators in New York
Actions for immigrant rights continue across U.S.
How Chinese, other immigrants were excluded from U.S.  
 
 
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