Ellensburg, WA armed federal raids detain 30.
Federal raid leads to 30 being taken into custody
Federal raid leads to 30 being taken into custody By DAILY RECORD STAFF Daily Record | 15 comments
Federal agents early Thursday morning arrested 14 Ellensburg area residents related to criminal charges of manufacture and purchase of counterfeit identity and employment documents, according to a news release from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Another 16 were taken into custody on administrative immigration violations, and three of those were later released Read more
Guest Workers in U.S. Keep Up Fight for Their Rights
Posted By James Parks On December 16, 2010 @ 4:21 pm In In the States, Legislation & Politics | 8 Comments
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In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, thousands of guest workers with H-2B visas were recruited from Latin America and Asia and brought to the Gulf Coast on the false promise of steady jobs, fair pay, great conditions and even permanent legal status. Many of the workers paid thousands of dollars each to recruiters to buy what they thought was an American dream, only to find out later their dream was a nightmare filled with terrible work conditions and no protections.
The workers fought back, and today have rung up some significant achievements. They now plan to build on their victories by focusing on organizing and political action to expand the rights of guest workers. The H-2B workers are recruited for jobs after employers certify that they cannot find U.S. citizens to do the work. The guest workers are then bound to that one employer and cannot move to another job if they are mistreated.
Rally Sept. 29th-Labor Unity Across Borders
No, to Border Divisions Based on Discrimination, Harassment, and Militarization ..
Yes, to Border Unity for Peace, Justice, and Workers’ Rights…
On Wednesday, September 29, at 5 pm, a rally will be held at the corner of First and Race streets in Port Angeles. This event is to express solidarity with the massive number of Spanish workers who on this day, and throughout their country, are taking to the streets to demand jobs for all, justice for immigrants, Read more
ANOTHER IMMIGRATION POLICY IS POSSIBLE!
Truthout Report
http://www.truth-out.org/another-immigration-policy-is-possible60995
Canada: What Do We Owe Our Guest Workers?
”You’re good enough to work here for a while, but now go home.”
The latest batch of more than 175,000 foreign temporary workers in Canada can expect to hear that message. It’s the deal. We get workers we need to make our economy function better. They get pay and a limited taste of life in a nation regularly voted one of the world’s best places to live. Read more
Next Meeting April 3, 2pm in Port Angeles
Stop The Checkpoints will meet in Port Angeles on Saturday, April 3rd, at 2:00 pm. Due to Library furlough of workers for a week due to budget cuts, the meeting will be held in a home near the Library. Please email info@stopthecheckpoints.com or call 360-452-7534 for the meeting location.
Topic will be: What real immigration reform should look like and how we can achieve it! Articles previously posted below provide some views on this topic. Bring ideas for action plans.
Need better alternative than Schumer reform bill
By David Bacon
OAKLAND, CA (3/19/09) – Senators Charles Schumer and Lindsey Graham announced Thursday their plan for immigration reform. Unfortunately, it is a retread, recycling the same bad ideas that led to the defeat of reform efforts over the last five years. In some ways, their proposal is even worse.
Read more
Immigrant rights groups slam Obama, Democrats for slow action with legalization bil
By N.C. Aizenman and Spencer S. Hsu
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 9, 2010; A02
Leaders of nearly a dozen grass-roots immigrant rights groups excoriated President Obama and congressional Democrats on Monday, accusing them of moving too slowly Read more
AFL-CIO says Broken Immig. System benefits corporations
“The broken system is benefiting the very same corporate giants who destroyed our economy. It is allowing those corporations to exploit workers by… Read more
Reading List on history of guest worker laws in U.S.
Resources used for “History of guest workers laws in the U.S”
Educational talk by Lois Danks at Stop The Checkpoints meeting on Jan. 9, 2010 in Sequim, WA
Illegal People: How globalization creates migration and criminalizes immigrants, by David Bacon, Beacon Press, Boston, 2008
They Take Our Jobs and 20 other Myths about Immigration, by Aviva Chomsky, Beacon Press, Boston 2007 (at library)
Guarding the Golden Door: American immigration policy and Immigrants since 1882, by Roger Daniels, Hill & Wang, New York, 2004 (at library)
New Faces in New Places; The changing geography of American Immigration, Douglas S. Massey, editor, Russell Sage Foundation, New York, 2008 (at library)
There’s No Jose Here: Following the hidden lives of Mexican Immigrants, Gabriel Thompson, Nation Books, New York, 2007 (at library)
One Hemisphere Indivisible: Permanent revolution and neoliberalism in the americas, Guerry Hoddersen, Red Letter Press, Seattle, 2006 (copies available from Lois Danks for $8.00)
Viva La Raza: A History of Chicano Identity & Resistance, Yolanda Alaniz and Megan Cornish, Red Letter Press, Seattle. (www.redletterpress.com), 2008.