Vol. 73/No. 13      April 6, 2009

The Socialist Workers campaign joins with others in calling for an end to the militarization of the U.S. border with Mexico.

The crisis in Mexico is being used by the U.S. rulers, under the banners of “homeland security” and “fighting terrorism,” as an excuse to further attack the rights of working people to organize and act in our own defense.

The Socialist Workers campaign demands the repeal of the Patriot Act; an end to stepped-up government wiretapping, spying, and harassment; defense of the rights of the accused and convicted; and abolition of the death penalty.

To maximize their profits, bosses use the status of undocumented workers to drive down wages and worsen working conditions for all working people.

But immigrant workers bring with them valuable experience in union and other social battles in their countries. In this country they have been in the forefront of the fight to strengthen the unions, as in the case of the workers who led the sit-in at Republic Windows and Doors in Chicago when the company attempted to lay them off without compensation. The fight for legalization of undocumented workers is an integral part of improving the conditions for all workers and working farmers.

The massive mobilizations for legalization—especially those on May 1 over the past three years—show how working people united in struggle can make significant gains. They serve as an example of how to fight for dignity on the job, better wages, and health and safety protection.

Through these fights, workers break down the boss-imposed barriers based on race, gender, and immigration status. We can more easily see ourselves as an international class with our own interests, separate and opposed to the interests of the ruling class that exploits us.

As the capitalist crisis deepens, throwing millions out of work, the fight for immediate legalization of undocumented workers, with no penalties or conditions, involves more than basic working-class solidarity. It is a matter of life or death for the labor movement. In order to survive the blows of the crisis the unions must organize all the unorganized.

To confront the deepening economic crisis, the mounting layoffs, cuts in health care and education, and greater assaults on workers’ rights, working people need to take political power out of the hands of the ruling billionaire families that live off the wealth that our class alone produces.

The Socialist Workers campaign calls for an end to all factory raids, “no-match” Social Security letters, secret detentions of immigrant workers, and deportations. Immigrant workers should have full rights to education and medical care. For immediate legalization for all!

We will be joining with others on May 1 this year to take the day off work and go into the streets, raising these demands in the interests of all working people. As a garment worker I will be campaigning to build the May Day actions among my coworkers and I encourage fellow workers to do the same.
 
 
Related articles:
U.S. gov’t adds cops to border with Mexico  
 
 
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