Vol. 73/No. 18      May 11, 2009

The fight for immigrant rights is not just an "immigrant" issue, any more than the fight for Black rights is just a "Black" issue or women's rights is solely a "women's" issue. It is key to uniting our class—native- and foreign-born, increasingly drawn from all corners of the world—in waging a more powerful struggle against the bosses to defend our immediate interests.

As the worldwide capitalist economic crisis unfolds, the ruling rich try to shore up their declining profits at the expense of working people. They speed up the production lines; drive to produce more with fewer workers; lengthen the work day; slash wages and health and retirement benefits; and cut corners on safety regardless of the toll on our lives and limbs.

At the same time the bosses’ government is slashing needed services from mass transit to child care to libraries. More attacks are coming; they will go after Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid under the guise of "reform."

Because of the depth of the economic crisis they face, the capitalist rulers are seeking to drive down the historic value of workers’ labor power—the basic living standards won over decades of struggle. They want us to lower our expectations. They want to push more and more of the burden of living and working under capitalism onto the backs of the family, and women in particular.

Central to their antiworker offensive is scapegoating those in our class who are undocumented immigrants, controlling the flow of labor across the Mexican border with the aim of bolstering a modern reserve army of labor. Haven’t you heard bosses say, "If you don't like the pay or conditions here, fine, there are 100 people willing to take your place and take whatever I offer them"?

Capitalist politicians such as John McCain and Barack Obama are calling for "comprehensive reform" and "road to legalization" schemes. These are traps.

"Go to the end of the line," they say. Why? "Pay a substantial fine." Why? For the "crime" of working? "Learn English." As if millions of immigrants are not already learning English because they understand the importance of being able to communicate with fellow workers. And even if you jump through all the hoops there is still no guarantee you will ever get papers. Don't fight for what you don't want! You might get it.

Immigrant workers have been at the forefront of struggles that strengthen the entire working class, from defending trade unions in meatpacking plants in the Upper Midwest to fighting to unionize coal mines in Utah. They will be an important part of the battles to come.

Working people should fight for what we need. Stop the raids and deportations! Free all those in prison for so-called immigration violations! End the militarization of the border! Legalization without restrictions, now!
 
 
Related articles:
Socialist candidate: ‘All out May Day’
Women immigrants to U.S. forced to take new vaccine
Iowa high school student wins fight to defend Lao heritage
Chicago march to call for end to raids, deportations
Immigrant rights and debate over ‘free trade’ pacts  
 
 
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