FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 10, 2007
Contacts:
Paulina Gonzales, UNITE HERE Cell: (323) 485-3055
Rini Chakraborty, Sweatshop Watch Cell: (818) 291-3229
Sookyung Oh, NAKASECOffice: (323) 937-3703
Media Advisory
Labor, Community Leaders in Los Angeles Respond to Judge’s Ruling on New Homeland Security “No-Match” Rule
Judge issues ruling today to stop DHS from hijacking error-prone SSA database as a tool for improper immigration enforcement
What: Workers, labor unions, and community leaders in Los Angeles will hold a press conference today responding to a judge’s ruling on the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) new “no-match” rule. Earlier today, a federal district court judge issued a preliminary injunction that continues to block implementation of the new DHS rule.
When: TODAY, OCTOBER 10, 2007 AT 2:00 P.M.
Where: UNITE HERE, located 464 S. Lucas Avenue, between 3rd and 6th Streets, in Los Angeles. Free parking is available in the parking structure next to the UNITE HERE building, as well as on the street for media vans.
Who: Speakers include Monica Guizar (National Immigration Law Center), Angela Sanbrano (National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities), and Sookyung Oh (National Korean American Service & Education Consortium).
Why: If implemented, the new DHS rule would threaten the jobs of over two million workers in California and 8 million nationwide – both U.S. citizens and immigrants alike – simply due to errors in the Social Security Administration (SSA) database. In response to a lawsuit filed by the AFL-CIO, ACLU, and the National Immigration Law Center, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction this morning that temporarily blocks the government from implementing the new rule. The new DHS rule would impose liability on employers for failure to respond to an SSA “no-match” letter, even though SSA errors are caused by many innocent factors. The vast majority of discrepancies in SSA records - 12.7 million or 70% - involves U.S. citizens. Workers, labor unions, and community groups are deeply concerned that the new rule will trigger massive firings, widespread discrimination at the workplace, and increased exploitation and abuse of workers.
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