In response to Gov. Cuomo’s statements that he will look to the Trump administration on whether to support undocumented workers and families, NDLON Co-Director Nadia Marin-Molina made the following statements.
On May 1, across the United States caravans of “essential and excluded workers” called on their mayors and governors to reject and address the racist exclusion of millions of undocumented workers and families in the federal stimulus bill.
On Wednesday morning, Pasadena day laborers and allies held a covid-safe car Caravan of “Essential and Excluded workers” to Pasadena City Hall with a message for Mayor Tornek and all local and state elected officials.
On Tuesday afternoon, about 100 cars are participating with New York immigrant day laborers, worker centers and allies in a “covid-safe car protest” in front of the Governor’s office on 3rd Avenue in Manhattan. The protest in New York, over 3 blocks long, comes after Governor Cuomo cited funding limitations to excuse the continued exclusion of over half a million immigrant workers statewide.
On Friday, day laborer organizations from across the metropolitan New York City area again called on Governor Andrew Cuomo to provide immediate relief for all immigrants. In a digital press conference on Friday morning, day laborers shared powerful stories of the physical and psychological toll of the pandemic, of exclusion from federal assistance, and of losing loved ones to covid-19 (excerpts below and video available for download).
Today’s announcement is a necessary first step to close the widening gap between immigrants and vital assistance that could mean the difference between life and death for millions of Californians. The abject failure of Congress and the sinister policies of the Trump Administration have created a domestic human rights crisis with disproportionate impact on California. As a consequence, California lawmakers have a legal responsibility and moral obligation to respond accordingly.
On Tuesday, day laborers led a caravan of cars filled with migrant workers around the California state government building to call on Governor Gavin Newsom and other lawmakers to ensure that all immigrant families are included in all state Covid-19 relief efforts. No exceptions.
In response to House passage of the Senate’s coronavirus stimulus legislation (still pending signature by Donald Trump), the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) reaffirmed its calls for a worker migrant justice plan to ensure undocumented workers and families are not excluded in coronavirus response and called on local and state leaders to ensure they don’t replicate the same exclusions as in the federal bill.
We welcome that Democrats finally discussed immigration, and we welcome Biden’s continued evolution. Now it’s time for Biden to join the resistance to Trump’s war on sanctuary cities. Today, hundreds of localities serve as a critical bulwark in the resistance against creeping fascism. Biden will have plenty of opportunities to show his commitment in the months ahead.
In response to the rising threat of the coronavirus pandemic, the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON), released a five-point Worker and Migrant Justice Response to be included in national coronavirus responses (link below).