FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts on behalf of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades
John Doherty, 617-592-2230, jdoherty@iupat.org
Leading Union Fighting For Workers’ Rights Applauds Supreme Court Decision in Support of DACA Recipients
Supreme Court refuses to uphold Trump Administration’s consistent attacks on immigrants
Hanover, MD – “Our Union, our members, and our families commend the Supreme Court’s decision finding President Trump’s rescission of DACA as unlawful,” said IUPAT General President Ken Rigmaiden on Thursday. “This President’s ongoing war against immigrants is an attack on our economy. We fully support the nearly 800,000 young immigrants who are vital to their communities and the US workforce.”
“Trump’s comments have stoked hatred and division in our communities and the fight is far from over. We must continue to follow the lead of Dreamers and other advocates fighting for a lasting solution that protects DACA recipients and their families. Whether it’s the countless essential workers in the construction industry, or the Dreamers marching in solidarity for justice to protest anti-Black racism, DACA recipients are here to stay.”
In their opinion, the Supreme Court wrote that the Trump Administration was “capricious and arbitrary” in their efforts to destroy the program.
President Rigmaiden sits on the board of Working Families United, a coalition of labor Unions supporting immigrant rights. He said “the federal government spends $5 billion annually in taxpayer dollars in immigration enforcement. Reform is needed in how we spend our taxpayer dollars to dismantle systemic racism in policing and in how we treat and protect immigrant workers. Many are essential workers fighting on the frontlines to protect this country. The Court’s decisive action is a glimmer of hope and a first step in providing stability in the lives of the tens of thousands of construction workers that we represent and their families.”
Ken Rigmaiden – General President, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades
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THE INTERNATIONAL UNION OF PAINTERS AND ALLIED TRADES (IUPAT)
Represents a growing community of over 110,000 active and retired craftspeople in the United States and Canada. The IUPAT membership extends far beyond the workplace.
Recognized as one of the most active unions in the labor movement, IUPAT members help shape their communities in many ways: through an abiding commitment to service, by fighting passionately for workers’ rights that benefit all working families, and through effective worker education and mobilization.
Visit www.IUPAT.org to learn more
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