What is especially troubling is that this legislation establishes a new temporary guest worker program without any credible wage floor protection for workers. We see how this situation is driving down wages and living standards for American workers.
The exploitation of temporary and illegal workers is systematically destroying what is a viable path to a middle class lifestyle for millions of Americans. The current Senate Bill simply allows for the continuation of the status quo. For America's workers, that is simply unacceptable.
We believe that a primary Constitutional responsibility of the Federal Government is to provide for the security of the American people, its territory and its sovereignty in order to make the United States' homeland safe. Achievement of these goals is critical as a means of reducing our vulnerability to terrorism, and also as a means of preserving the economic conditions of its citizens and legals residents. Implementation of strong and effective border security measures, with appropriate funding, will help combat the threat of terrorism as well as the threat to the living standards of U.S. workers.
Enforcement of our border security must also be accompanied by fair and effective enforcement of our existing immigration laws, as well as fair and equal enforcement of federal and state labor and employment laws. Further, a mandatory electronic work-eligibility verification system is needed, and it should be accompanied by strong and effective procedures designed to protect personal and civil rights, along with substantial increases in the fines, penalties and sanctions levied against employers who violate our immigration laws.
(Excerpt from the IBEW Political/Legislative Action Center)
"Like a bad zombie movie, the immigration reform bill that was thought to have died a little more than a week ago is reappearing from the grave. This even after we were able to hold the line and prevent passages of cloture that would have ended debate and led to passage in the Senate. So we are back where we were a little over two weeks ago, asking you once again to weigh-in with your Senators to stop final passage of a comprehensive immigration reform package that, if approved, will have devastating consequences for the electrical industry and our union."
