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

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