Resolution to Stand Up Against Attacks on Immigrants and to Support Equal Rights for All Workers in the United States
Co-Authors: Elena Tate (CMS), Alicia Terrero (NYLAG), Bryan Fotino (CMS), Jessica Coffrin-St. Julien (BxD), Kyle Barron (LAS), Sophia Elena Gurulé (BxD)
WHEREAS,
According to the Constitution of the International Union United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, UAW
The UAW must play an active role at all levels of government to protect the lives and rights of its members and their families. We must work constantly on the political and legislative problems facing the whole society;
Union members must take seriously their responsibilities as citizens and work, through their union and individually, to realize the goals of participatory democracy and responsible and accountable government. (1)
WHEREAS,
According to its bylaws, the mission of ALAA UAW2325 is
to protect all members from illegal, improper, arbitrary, or discriminatory treatment by any entity;
to develop a trade union consciousness rooted in class struggle unionism, Black liberation, trans and queer liberation, feminism, antiracism, abolitionism, internationalism, anti-imperialism, anti-colonialism, disability justice, migrant justice, housing justice, and other developing social justice movements aimed at improving the living and working conditions of all poor and working class people;
to ensure the provision of high-quality legal services, social services, and other support to poor and working class communities and to advocate for the improvement of these services in other arenas;
to advocate through political outreach for the advancement of the interests of union members and poor and working class communities in general;
WHEREAS,
Many UAW2325 members and our families and clients are immigrants whose lives and rights are impacted directly by unjust and inhumane U.S. immigration policies.
WHEREAS,
Millions of workers in the United States, including many who have lived and worked here for decades, are prevented from fully participating in participatory democracy, are deprived of equal rights, have no path to citizenship, and are subject to super-exploitation and abuse by employers. (2)
WHEREAS,
ALAA has a history of standing up in defense of immigrant rights, including leading the efforts to force ICE out of the New York courts to protect legal rights and due process of all in 2019 (3) and endorsing the New Yorkers United Against Mass Deportation Rally and four legislative bills to be in public solidarity with immigrant communities and against deportations, immigration detention, and U.S. militarism and militarization in 2024. (4)
WHEREAS,
The freedom to stay in one’s homeland, the freedom to migrate, and the freedom to return are fundamental rights. The violence of U.S. immigration and foreign policy has long prevented many people across the world from realizing those rights. Now, decades of criminalization of migration and militarization of the United States’ borders have led to a critical moment.
WHEREAS,
The federal government is attacking basic rights including birthright citizenship (5) and due process through detentions, deportations, raids - including allowing immigration enforcement actions at such “sensitive” locations as courts, schools, hospitals, and houses of worship - and other racist, xenophobic policies, laws, executive orders, and rhetoric. (6)
THEREFORE, be it resolved that:
ALAA will support any ALAA members directly impacted by immigration enforcement actions in any way possible.
ALAA will use its power to resist attacks on basic rights of all people in the United States, regardless of immigration status, including by
a. Calling on the federal government to:
Uphold the constitutional rights of every person in the United States, including rights to due process and birthright citizenship;
Stop the attacks on immigrant workers and all workplace raids and deportations;
End immigration detention, from Orange County Jail to Guantánamo Bay;
Demilitarize the US-Mexico border;
Ensure that all workers in the US have equal rights, regardless of immigration status
Pass comprehensive immigration reform that leads to a pathway for citizenship for all undocumented people in the U.S.
b. Calling on local government to:
not comply with any federal policies that violate basic rights
respect "sanctuary" policies so that all members of our community can send children to school, access medical care, attend religious services, and participate in legal proceedings without fear of deportation.
c. In particular, we call on UAW Local 2325’s representatives on UAW’s Region 9A Community Action Program council to make a motion calling on the Region 9A CAP Council and UAW lobbyists to lobby:
the New York City Council for emergency funding for the New York Immigrant Family Unity Program, as well as permanent increases to NYIFUP funding;
the New York City Council to pass Intro 214, which would ensure there is a mechanism to enforce New York City’s detainer laws; and
the New York State legislature to pass the Dignity Not Detention Act, New York For All Act, and Access to Representation Act.
2. Chapter Bargaining Committees are encouraged to support contract language that contain protections for immigrant workers including
Barring ICE from entering the worksite
Union participation in resolving immigration issues
Protection from employer I-9 audits
Pro-worker policies on leaves of absence from work due to immigration enforcement actions
Pro-worker employee visa sponsorship and work authorization policies
3. ALAA shall call on our UAW International to:
Defend the rights of all workers in the United States
Lead the entire labor movement to resist attempts to divide workers based on national origin and immigration status
Stand up against attacks on immigrant workers and call on the federal government to take the actions listed above
Demand an immediate end to workplace raids, detentions and deportations of immigrant workers
Fight for all UAW contracts to include protections for immigrant workers such as those above
Advocate for equal rights for all workers in the United States, including the approximately 14 million immigrants without permanent legal status
Join with others to continue this fight together, at the bargaining table and in the streets, to protect the rights of every worker.
Footnotes
(1) https://uaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Updated-2022-Constitution-6-7-24-1.pdf
(2) https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/01/17/us/immigrants-trump-deportations.html
(3) https://www.immigrantdefenseproject.org/ice-courts-nys/
(4) https://www.alaa.org/media-releases/new-yorkers-united-against-mass-deportation-rally