UNITE HERE Hospitality Workers Union Slams Supreme Court Decision to Allow Trump Wealth Test for Immigrants Seeking Legal Status
NEW YORK, NY—Today UNITE HERE hospitality workers union condemned the Supreme Court’s decision to allow the Trump Administration’s new racist wealth test for immigrants seeking legal status in the U.S. UNITE HERE General Vice President for Immigration, Diversity and Civil Rights Enrique Fernández issued the following statement:
“By allowing new policy denying green cards to immigrants who use public benefits to be implemented before the legal challenges are resolved, the Supreme Court is complicit in the Trump Administration’s shameful anti-immigrant campaign.
“This new rule flies in the face of American history, making wealth a prerequisite for access to the American Dream and disrespecting the generations of immigrants who have come to this country with little, but contributed mightily to thriving communities.
“It is inhumane to turn programs meant to provide much-needed assistance to those in need into weapons to wield against immigrant families. The decision to create a green card wealth test while allowing millionaires to use the EB-5 program to jump the line shows that the Trump Administration is only interested in immigration reform for the 1%.
“We stand horrified by the Court’s decision to enable the Trump Administration’s racist attack on immigrant families. UNITE HERE members will continue fighting to reclaim our country, remove those who spew anti-immigrant animus from power, and enable people of all backgrounds to achieve greater equality and opportunity.”
UNITE HERE represents over 300,000 North American hotel, casino, and food service workers who hail from all corners of the planet. The largest hospitality workers union in the world, UNITE HERE has been a leading voice for immigration reform, particularly around TPS, DACA, and ending family separation.
###
UNITE HERE has more than 300,000 members working in the hotel, gaming, food service, manufacturing, textile, distribution, laundry, transportation, and airport industries in the U.S. and Canada, including many immigrant members. Learn more at www.unitehereimmigration.org.