AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler issued the following statement in response to today's Supreme Court decision affirming birthright citizenship:
Today, the Supreme Court upheld one of the fundamental promises of our Constitution: that every child born in the United States is a citizen of the United States.
This decision rejects the Trump administration's latest attempt to divide working people and attack the immigrant families who are part of the fabric of our communities, our workplaces and our unions. At a time when working people are facing relentless attacks on their fundamental freedoms, the Court made clear that constitutional rights cannot simply be erased by executive order.
One in five workers is an immigrant. They are our co-workers, our neighbors, our family members and our fellow union members, integral to our economy and our workplaces. Working people know that it’s not immigrants who stand between workers and a good job—it’s the bosses who exploit workers. When politicians target immigrant communities, they are targeting all of us.
Today's ruling holds the ground on hard-won gains from our long-term struggle for human dignity and racial equality, and we know that work is far from over. Millions of workers and families still live with the uncertainty our broken immigration system causes, which leaves their lives and futures subject to the whims of bosses and politicians. Congress must finally act to create a pathway to citizenship and ensure every worker can live and work with dignity, freedom and opportunity. The labor movement will continue to fight until that becomes a reality.
Contact: Dakar Lanzino, 202-637-5018