Wisconsin’s largest grassroots Latinx organization, Voces de la Frontera Action, responds to President Biden’s State of the Union address and visit to Madison
While President Biden has made strides for many Latinx and immigrant workers, his policies leave Wisconsin working-class voters wanting more
(Wisconsin)- For many Latinx and immigrant working-class people, Tuesday night’s Presidential State of the Union address left out an important message: There is no economic plan without immigrants. Members of Voces de la Frontera Action, Wisconsin’s largest grassroots organization that serves statewide Latinx and immigrant communities, are excited that President Biden is visiting Wisconsin on Wednesday, and hope that his economic plans address and acknowledge immigrant contributions and needs.
By now, it’s no secret that undocumented and low-wage labor is a driving force behind the nation’s economy. An example here at home is Wisconsin Dairy Industry which generates $43.4 billion annually for the state’s economy. This industry only survives and thrives because of Latinx and mostly undocumented workers who perform 80% of its labor. Yet nowhere is the undocumented or immigrant labor force mentioned in the Employment Situation Summary released by the White House last Friday. As President Biden champions his much needed investments in infrastructure and advancements in manufacturing, immigrant rights activists can’t help but wonder, when will immigrants get the credit, and protections, they deserve?
“Immigrant workers are essential to the nation’s economy and we need federal policies that reflect that,” said Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera Action. “We applaud President Biden’s progress to provide relief through deferred action, which under DHS guidance, ensures that workers who are potential victims or witnesses in pending labor investigations can assert their labor rights without fear of their immigration status being used against them, to the detriment of all workers who struggle to improve wages and working conditions in the United States. This is a huge step forward, but the ultimate goal is federal permanent protections, which gives immigrant workers the full dignity that they deserve for their contributions, especially those made as frontline heroes during the global pandemic.”
“President Biden was a candidate who we fought a grassroots tooth-and nail campaign to elect and successfully defeat Trump in Wisconsin in 2020 and most recently the Trump backed candidate for Governor. We achieved this because of our innovative statewide relational network known as “Voceros por el Voto” which is now over 30,000+ voters strong in Wisconsin. Latinx, immigrant, and multi-racial youth voters turned out because of the hope and promises that Biden offered. There is still time to deliver for voters who want to see results ahead of the 2024 Presidential Election.”
Immigrant rights activists specifically cite the demand for executive action on the federal 287(g) program, a program that opens a pipeline to unnecessary deportation and family separation. 287(g) is a discriminatory program that turns local law enforcement into immigration agents, with the power to investigate immigration status. With a lack of congressional progress on a permanent pathway to citizenship for immigrant essential workers and their families, many undocumented workers live in fear that a routine traffic stop on the way to work could put them at risk of deportation.
One Voces de la Frontera Action member, Blanca, an immigrant essential worker, and community organizer, spoke about her experience of driving without a license in a 287(g) affected county in Waukesha, Wisconsin:
“Safe transportation is a human right. For the immigrant community it’s very important to have transportation access because the majority of immigrant workers’ jobs are far from their homes, and we rely on driving to get to work.
We also need drivers licenses for our daily activities, like dropping off and picking up our children from school, going grocery shopping, and other basic items that so many people take for granted. Children of undocumented parents, many of whom are U.S. citizens, have to grow up afraid that the police might take their parents away.
Immigrants are the economic strength of our state and country’s economy. We need to be able to work and contribute to society without the fear of deportation, just because of our status. We contribute to this country, and elected officials who have the responsibility and power need to contribute to our well being, it’s a win-win.”
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
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Wisconsin’s largest grassroots Latinx organization, Voces de la Frontera Action, responds to President Biden’s State of the Union address and visit to Madison
Feb 7th, 2023 by Voces de la FronteraWhile President Biden has made strides for many Latinx and immigrant workers, his policies leave Wisconsin working-class voters wanting more
