AFL-CIO: End Sanctions On February 16, 2000, the AFL-CIO's executive council unanimously called for: (1) the repeal of employer sanctions; (2) legalization for many of the six million unauthorized foreigners in the US; and (3) new criminal penalties on employers who use labor and immigration laws to exploit vulnerable workers. This is an historic reversal of policy: the AFL-CIO was a key supporter of the bargain at the heart of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 that coupled sanctions on employers who knowingly hired illegal workers with legalization for some illegal workers in the US. Linda Chavez-Thompson, AFL-CIO executive vice president said: "Employers often knowingly hire workers who are undocumented, and then when workers seek to improve working conditions, employers manipulate the law to fire or intimidate workers. This subverts the intent of the law and lowers working standards for all workers. The law should criminalize employer behavior, not punish workers." The AFL-CIO promised to hold meetings beginning in April 2000 to boost support for the end to sanctions and a new legalization program. For more information: (http://www.aflcio.org/publ/estatements/feb2000/immigr.htm) In 1997, the 16 million foreign-born workers were 12 percent of the 135 million US labor force. However, in 1999 an estimated 20 percent of the new entrants to the labor force were immigrants. The Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union says that 75 percent of its 250,000 members are immigrants. While the new AFL-CIO position is a reversal of the position of US unions, it is not expected to quickly change US immigration policies. Most Republicans oppose another legalization, and many Democrats fear that providing amnesty for illegal workers and repealing the employer sanctions would encourage more illegal immigration. Maria Echaveste, the deputy White House chief of staff, called the AFL-CIO's action "an important recognition of the participation of undocumented workers in the labor force" that "needs to be reviewed." The AFL-CIO's change of position was front-page news in Mexico; some speculated that more migrants may try to enter the US to become eligible for any new amnesty. The AFL-CIO called for stepped-up border controls to keep illegal migrants out of the US and renewed its opposition to guest worker programs: "The proliferation of guest worker programs has resulted in the creation of a class of easily exploited workers, who find themselves in a situation very similar to that faced by undocumented workers. The AFL-CIO renews our call for the halt to the expansion of guestworker programs." There are several other calls for legalization. In implementing IRCA's legalization programs in 1987-88, the INS determined that illegal aliens who received welfare assistance were ineligible for amnesty. Courts later overruled the INS, and told the agency to accept amnesty applications from unauthorized foreigners who received welfare. About 80,000 joined a class-action suit against the INS, but the suit has been barred from going forward because of the provision of IIRIRA in 1996 that makes it hard to sue the INS. Congressional supporters of "late amnesty" estimate that 300,000 to 400,000 foreigners may have been unlawfully denied the opportunity for legalization. The International Immigrants Foundation has launched a Legalization Drive 2000 to persuade the US to offer immigrant status to unauthorized foreigners who have been in the US since September 30, 1996. For more information: http://www.10.org/endorse.htm ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------