NILC Statement on the Department of Homeland Security’s Guidance Regarding Workers Asserting their Rights in the Workplace

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 13, 2023

CONTACT
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Madison Allman, 202-384-1279
Emily Morris, 213-457-7458

NILC Statement on the Department of Homeland Security’s Guidance Regarding Workers Asserting their Rights in the Workplace

WASHINGTON — Raha Wala, vice president of strategic partnerships and advocacy, issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s announcement that clarifies the process by which workers asserting their rights against abusive employers can access temporary immigration protections, including work authorization and protection from deportation:

“The Department of Homeland Security’s guidance protecting immigrant workers is key to furthering President Biden’s historic commitment to support worker empowerment. This momentous victory is the result of years of activism from workers and advocates and will be critical to supporting collective organizing and making worksites across the country safer and more equitable for everyone.

“All working people, regardless of immigration status, deserve to work in a safe environment, with a living wage, and the ability to speak up about labor violations without fear of retaliation. Providing temporary protections to immigrant workers that allow them to organize and safely fight back against injustices in the workplace will bolster all workers’ rights. We will continue working collaboratively with the Biden administration to create more just and inclusive protections for all working people, including immigrants, so that everyone can do their jobs safely and with dignity.”

While DHS has previously made these protections available to some workers, this newly released policy guidance clarifies and streamlines the process by which workers involved in labor disputes can seek temporary immigration protections from DHS. NILC’s statement on the corresponding Department of Labor guidance released in July is available here.

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