(Baltimore, MD – April 17, 2013)–Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, Inc. (CDM), acknowledges the Senate’s introduction of a bill to reform immigration policy in the United States and salutes the advocates and migrant leaders who have raised their voices in this critically important debate. “This bill comes at an historic moment,” said Sarah Rempel, policy attorney at CDM, “Congress has the opportunity and the responsibility to create a just and fair immigration system that protects and promotes human dignity.”  CDM believes these efforts are an essential first step in achieving justice for migrant workers, especially the provisions that create a roadmap to citizenship for the 11 million aspiring Americans in the United States.

The bill reforms the employment-based visa system to include some additional worker protections, including critical safeguards against recruitment abuse.  Abuses in the international labor recruitment process currently affect workers across labor sectors who come to the United States on employment-based visas.  In worst-case scenarios, unscrupulous employers traffic workers into the United States. The provisions in the Senate bill would improve transparency and accountability in foreign labor contracting and help prevent recruitment abuse. The Senate bill would also create a W visa category that would allow workers to change employers, an important protection for those who experience abuse on the job.

The Senate bill is an important first step in creating a just and fair immigration system. CDM will be closely analyzing the bill’s lengthy and complicated provisions to determine how it will impact the workers whose interests we serve.  CDM’s in-depth analysis of the bill will be forthcoming in the next day.

 

Media Contact:
Moravia de la O
moravia@cdmigrante.org
(410) 783-0236

 

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