USA: Millions march for immigrant workers' rights

ACROSS THE USA millions of people have taken to the streets to express their anger at Congress' attacks on immigrant workers.

In Los Angeles, alone, over one million workers, students and youth demonstrated in the city on 25 March against the Republican party proposals to further tighten immigration law. Students have spearheaded the protests by walking out of school in a week-long action.

Under the measures (Bill HR4437), the authorities could jail and deport undocumented immigrant workers and prosecute anyone who supports them.

President George Bush, while echoing his party's 'get tough' on immigrants approach, also wants to ensure that employers aren't starved of cheap labour to exploit. Instead, he has argued for a regulated "guest worker" scheme.

Socialist Alternative (the Socialist Party's counterpart in the US) said in its material issued on the demonstrations: "To build the movement, every immigrant rights organisation, union, anti-war group, activist groups should go all out to campaign for and mobilise for a massive strike of immigrant workers and student walkout in May for immigrant rights.

"The labour movement should put itself at the forefront of this struggle. It should launch a massive education campaign to convince tens of millions of workers that immigrant rights is an issue that is vital to all US workers by distributing millions of leaflets, holding workplace meetings, and organising mass rallies. It should mobilise massive solidarity for the strike in May, and broaden it to include immigrant and native-born workers alike."

For background material see www.socialistalternative.org

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