Labor Council Approves Resolution Supporting Roadmap to Citizenship for Aspiring Americans

SAN DIEGO - San Diego Labor Council Secretary-Treasurer Lorena Gonzalez made the following statement after Labor Council delegates approved a resolution supporting a roadmap to citizenship:

“Tonight, the San Diego & Imperial Counties Labor Council passed a resolution that makes it loud and clear:  We will be at the forefront of demanding common-sense, comprehensive immigration reform that includes a clear pathway to citizenship for all aspiring citizens who have worked hard and played by the rules.

“The working families of San Diego and Imperial Counties know that all American workers will benefit when 12 million immigrants can finally come out of the shadows and assert their rights to a fair wage and a voice in the workplace.

“Locally, we will continue working with political, business, faith, and community leaders to make the vision of our members a reality, and guarantee that we achieve common sense reforms while remaining inclusive of everyone in our communities.”
The full text of the approved resolution states:

San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, AFL-CIO Resolution 
Supporting a Road map to Citizenship for Aspiring Americans

WHEREAS: 

Every day, more than 11 million immigrant aspiring citizens contribute to our communities, our economy and our country—yet they are denied a voice in the workplace and essential rights in our society;

WHEREAS: 

A strong and vibrant democracy cannot function unless all men and women, regardless of their skin color or where they were born, can participate meaningfully in the political process with full rights and equal protections;

WHEREAS: 

The union movement recognizes that the way we treat new immigrants reflects our commitment to the values that define us;

WHEREAS: 

Working people are strongest when working together and the union movement is strongest when it is open to all workers, regardless of where they come from;

WHEREAS: 

The creation of a road map to citizenship for aspiring Americans would improve wages and labor standards for all workers by giving immigrant workers a voice in the workplace and halting employers who take advantage of our failed immigration policies to pursue a race to the bottom;

WHEREAS: 

The dreams of young immigrants to have access to quality education and the hopes of millions of immigrants to reunify their families reflect core American values;

WHEREAS: 

America’s unions remain committed to working together on the side of justice for all, along with our community partners, including civil rights, human rights, faith and immigrant rights organizations, to pass fundamental reform that encompasses these principles;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: 

That the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council AFL-CIO, which represents the voices of more than 200,000 working families in Southern California, calls upon Congress to pass common-sense immigration reform that includes a practical and inclusive road map to citizenship and that reflects the principles outlined in the unified union movement’s framework for comprehensive immigration reform, “Immigration for Shared Prosperity: A Framework for Comprehensive Immigration Reform”;

AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: 

The San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, AFL-CIO will continue to work with allies to promote comprehensive immigration reform based on the principles outlined in this resolution and will communicate this position to [State]’s congressional delegation.

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San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council
The San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, AFL-CIO includes 135 affiliated labor groups in the region with a membership of more than 200,000 working families.  Founded in 1891, the Labor Council advocates for more jobs, better jobs and better lives for all of San Diego’s workers – union and non-union.
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