Friend,

Throughout our nation’s history, people from around the world have come to the United States in search of better opportunities — to work, get an education, and build their lives. We expect safe and fair workplaces for all in our country, but that’s not always the reality. Instead, many immigrants have been met with worksite immigration raids, deadly working conditions, and retaliation in the workplace.

These conditions don’t represent our country’s values. We can and we must do better for all workers. 

Our current political and economic system is set up to exploit workers, and immigrant workers most often bear the brunt of this. We need to ensure that all workers are paid a fair wage for their work, treated with dignity and respect, and protected in the workplace.  

Immigrants are essential to who we are as a nation. 

Of the 7 million undocumented people in the U.S. workforce, three out of four are working in industries deemed “essential.”  To celebrate the many ways immigrants contribute to our society, we must strive for full citizenship — where people not only obtain legal immigration status but are treated with dignity and respect in their communities and workplaces.  

As the late Senator Paul Wellstone used to say, “We all do better when we all do better.” Raising the minimum wage, protecting workers from COVID-19, preventing employers from bullying or threatening workers over their immigration status — these are essential policies and practices that would ensure safer workplaces and higher working standards for everyone. 

And we know all too well that policy change won’t happen on its own. It's time that we all join together to fight for our future. We need bold goals and smart organizing, workers banding together, and policymakers who have their backs.  Friend, we need you in this fight for worker justice. Will you join us and urge Congress to create a pathway to citizenship for all?

Sincerely,

Marielena Hincapié

Executive Director, National Immigration Law Center

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