Georgia’s Historic Worksite Raid Underscores the Chaos Fueled by Trump’s Immigration Agenda

WASHINGTON DC, Sept. 5 — On September 4, law enforcement agents from several state and federal agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), executed a sweeping immigration raid at a Hyundai plant in southeastern Georgia. The raid reportedly resulted in at least 475 workers detained, many of whom were South Korean nationals — including some with legal status. It is the largest raid ever conducted in recent history at a single work site.  

In response, the American Immigration Council issued the following commentary. 

“These raids don’t make anyone safer. They terrorize workers, destabilize communities, and push families into chaos,” said Michelle Lapointe, legal director at the American Immigration Council, who is based in the Atlanta, Georgia area.  “This historic raid may make dramatic headlines, but it does nothing to fix the problems in our broken immigration system: a lack of legal pathways and a misguided focus on punishing workers and families who pose no threat to our communities. Raiding work sites isn’t reform, it’s political theater at the expense of families, communities, and our economy.” 

“Immigrant workers are the backbone of our economy, filling critical labor gaps in manufacturing and beyond. Nationwide, 5.7% of manufacturing workers are undocumented, and here in Georgia they make up 6.7% of that workforce. Raiding worksites instead of fixing our pathways to legal employment is cruel, wasteful, and deeply shortsighted. The chilling effect of these raids will make it less likely that people will show up to work, deepening labor shortages and hitting businesses hard at an already precarious economic moment,” said Nan Wu, director of research at the American Immigration Council.  

Council experts are available to discuss why worksite raids are counterproductive and harmful, and what smarter, more effective immigration solutions look like. 

The post Georgia’s Historic Worksite Raid Underscores the Chaos Fueled by Trump’s Immigration Agenda  appeared first on American Immigration Council.

from American Immigration Council https://ift.tt/UulKgFG
via Dear ImmigrantDear Immigrant