NILC Applauds Senate Confirmation of Thomas E. Perez as Labor Secretary

WASHINGTON, D.C. —Thomas E. Perez, a strong defender of working families and the civil and voting rights of all Americans, is President Obama’s next secretary of labor following a 54-46 confirmation vote by the Senate. Perez, who previously served as assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice and as labor secretary for the state of Maryland, assumes the Cabinet position with strong credentials as a guardian of workers. Following the Senate vote, National Immigration Law Center Executive Director Marielena Hincapié issued the following statement“Tom Perez is the right person for the job at the right time. As our nation’s economy and society are expanded and enhanced by our growing diversity, Perez — the first-ever Dominican American to assume a Cabinet-level position — brings his rich cultural and professional background to an important post that affects workers and employers every day.

“Earlier in his career, as Maryland’s labor secretary, Perez proved to be a problem-solver by working with business and labor leaders to ensure workers were paid fair wages. Then, as assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division at the Justice Department, he helped form the Fair Lending Unit, which took on predatory lenders who had taken advantage of lower-income and minority mortgage applicants.

“During Perez’s tenure at the Department of Justice, we worked closely with him to fight back against draconian racial profiling laws in Arizona, Alabama, and elsewhere. His commitment to upholding the civil rights of all people — regardless of where they were born — is unwavering. We know this commitment will follow him to the Department of Labor.

“Immigration reform must be just and fair, and Perez’s outstanding record suggests that is how he will perform as labor secretary.

“Congratulations, Secretary Perez.”

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