"Legalization and
A Road to Citizenship"
Sample Letter to Union/Organization

Date

Dear [Union/Organization],

The tragic events of September 11, 2001, swept aside the political momentum for immigration reform that had been building for some time in the United States.

Instead, a new momentum has made immigrants the target of some of the most repressive legislation and executive policy in recent memory. Government raids on workplaces and homes, punitive detention for protracted periods of time, the constant threat of deportation, and often the abrupt loss of employment, now characterize immigrant life in the United States.

Especially vulnerable, before as well as after September 11, are the eight million or more “undocumented” immigrants in the United States. They live in the shadows, exposed to exploitation by unscrupulous employers, separated from their families, and fearful of organizing to better their conditions.

With the 2004 election season already underway, a dramatic intervention in the political process is needed to insure that presidential and Congressional candidates, as well as both major parties, know that millions of voters care about the rights of immigrant workers in this country.

The Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride will carry that message proudly and loudly across the country. It will focus attention on four essential requirements of a new immigration policy:

• Legalization and a “road to citizenship” for all immigrant workers in this country;
• The right of immigrant workers to re-unite their families;
• Protecting the rights of immigrants in the workplace; and
• Protecting the civil rights and civil liberties of all.

The Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride is an initiative of a broad coalition including the AFL-CIO, international unions, and national civil and immigrant rights, religious, community and student associations.

Enclosed are some introductory materials about the IWFR, including an invitation to endorse its goals and support its implementation.

We hope you will join us on this historic journey.

Sincerely,

[Union/Organization]

Download Sample Letter (MSWord document).

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© 2003 Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union