We say NO to the new Corporate designed immigration plans!

In bipartisan and falsely described “comprehensive immigration reform” proposals, many undocumented migrant workers in this country may be transformed into criminals at the stroke of a pen. Legislative proposals from the Bush administration and before Congress seek to intensify government repression and criminalize immigrants. The Bush administration has proposed a plan for undocumented immigrants that would make them eligible for renewable three-year work permits at $3,500 and force them to leave and re-enter the country and pay a fine of $10,000 in order to become legal residents. The Bush fee of $13,500 amounts to an expensive coyote plan that would exceed the price coyotes charge for migrant border crossings several times over!
The bi-partisan STRIVE act before Congress, often described as “Sensenbrenner 2”, would further militarize the borders and intensify government repression against undocumented migrant workers. It would criminalize immigrants and impose prison terms on the undocumented. It would add hundreds of immigration prosecutors, judges, and support personnel and would create at least 20 new federal detention facilities to imprison the many thousands of new detainees expected! NO legalization process would begin until ALL the new enforcement, surveillance, “document security”, and “employment verification” systems are in place- another two years! Then an undocumented migrant worker would be eligible for a “Conditional Nonimmigrant” visa IF she or he can prove employment before and after June 1st, 2006. These migrant workers would then have to wait another 6 years to be able to apply for permanent residency! Applicants would then be placed in the back of the line of the millions already waiting for their permanent residency applications to be processed. These requirements are simply a modern day version of indentured servitude. Is this what millions of us mobilized for last spring?

The Boston May Day Coalition condemns the Bush Plan, the proposed STRIVE act, and the overall campaign of repression, persecution, and criminalization of immigrants. We say NO to the Raids and Deportations. Free all the ICE detainees NOW! We say NO to Guest Worker programs. We say YES to Full Legalization and family reunification NOW. Enough is enough! We must again mobilize and again place our stamp on the intensifying debate. This is the only language that is understood in Washington. On International Workers Day let our mass call for full and immediate legalization for all migrant workers be heard around the world.

Boston May Day Coalition, april 25, 2007