Archive for date: May 21st, 2019

For immediate release

Ahead of markup this week, the Working Families United coalition representing four million union workers sent a letter to members of the House Judiciary Committee in full support of the Dream and Promise Act (HR 2821 and HR 2820).

Labor unions formed the Working Families United coalition in the Fall of 2017 to protect union members with TPS and prevent the devastating economic disruption threatened by the termination of their status.

As the House Judiciary Committee prepares to hear the Dream Act of 2019 and the Promise Act of 2019, Working Families United issued the following statement:

“Working Families United is proud to endorse H.R. 2821 and H.R. 2820 to provide a path to citizenship for our members with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and DED as well as young Americans known as Dreamers.

It should be common sense to ensure that the people who have contributed so much to our nation have a stable future. Passing these bills is urgent and necessary. It’s right for the country, right for the economy, and right for our unions’ families.

We urge the committee to vote for these bills, to treat our members’ lives with the seriousness and respect they deserve throughout the markup process, and to stand firmly opposed to any poison pills that would cause hurt instead of the much needed help these bills are intended to provide.”

Working Families United is a coalition of seven labor unions, including the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, UNITE HERE, the Ironworkers, the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers,  the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), Teamsters, and Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA). Together we represent four million members fighting for immigrant justice.WFU formed in 2017 in response to the pending crisis caused by President Trump’s termination of Temporary Protected Status for 400,000 immigrant workers and their 275,000 US citizen children.  Our members like Wilna Destin of UNITE HERE and Donaldo Posadas of the Painters Union are plaintiffs in separate class action lawsuits for El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua, Sudan as well as Honduras and Nepal.  Meanwhile the coalition urges Congress to pass legislation to provide permanent protections and a path to citizenship for Dreamers and TPS holders from all affected nations. See more about the union families whose futures are in limbo at tpschildren.org