Vol. 77/No. 14      April 15, 2013

The following statement was released by Jacob Perasso, Socialist Workers Party candidate for Omaha, Neb., City Council District 4.

The Socialist Workers Party stands with those fighting for legalization of all immigrants. This is not only a just struggle against discrimination, but is absolutely essential to forging the unity and fighting capacity the working class needs to advance our interests against those of the bosses.

We call on working people to join in protests, marches and other actions April 10, May 1, or whenever they are called, to demand legalization now, and to oppose deportations, use of more cops on the border and imposition of ID checks to get a job.

The bipartisan “immigration reform” proposals coming together in Congress would force undocumented workers to wait 13, 15 or more years before they might be able to win full legal status and place all kinds of obstacles in the way, from background checks to thousands of dollars in fines.

Having a section of the workforce with second-class status aids the bosses’ drive against the living standards and working conditions of all. The proposals promoted by the Democratic and Republican parties include expansion of “guest worker” programs to maintain a superexploitable pool of immigrant labor.

All workers should also oppose the use of E-Verify and other programs that make it harder for those without papers to find work and lead to increased deportations and firings. The expanding government databases and their ties to the employers are moves toward a national identity card and are aimed at undermining the rights of all workers. The same “tools” will be used to target union militants.

Immigrant workers have shown themselves to be among the combative sections of the working class. Actions in recent years saying “we are workers not criminals” have won broad support among working people. Immigrants’ breadth of experience strengthens and helps internationalize the ranks of labor. It puts us in a better position in battles to come against deepening employer and government attacks. We need working-class unity in action to fight effectively.

We can only rely on the collective power of working people, independent of the bosses and the Democratic and Republican parties that represent their interests. This is true from the fight for immigrant rights to miners’ struggle against Patriot and other coal bosses, to defense of a woman’s right to choose abortion.

Full legalization now! End the use of E-Verify! Stop the deportations!
 
 
Related articles:
Farmworkers demand legalization as Congress debates ‘immigration reform’
Wash. farmworkers march for immigrant rights
 
 
 
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