NEWS: Congressman Greg Casar Applauds New Immigration Protections for Workers
DHS allowing noncitizens to report labor violations without jeopardizing immigration status
WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Greg Casar (D-Texas) releases the following statement on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s announcement of a new program that aims to protect workers, regardless of their immigration status, from retaliation if they report violations of labor laws.
“I know firsthand, from being a labor organizer before I was elected to Congress, how today’s announcement from the Biden Administration will change workers’ lives,” said Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas). “Exploitive employers threaten noncitizens with deportation when they speak up about abuse at work. With this program, workers can apply for strong immigration protections when they report workplace abuse.
“Today’s announcement will help raise labor standards for both noncitizens and citizens across my district and the country.”
Casar previously organized alongside immigrant construction workers for better work conditions, including the right to a water break, while he worked at Workers Defense Project in Austin, TX.
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Congressman Greg Casar represents Texas’s 35th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, which runs down I-35 from East Austin to Hays County to the West Side of San Antonio. A labor organizer and son of Mexican immigrants, Casar serves as the Whip of the Congressional Progressive Caucus for the 118th Congress.