Mijente Members and Labor Leaders at AFL CIO, Neidi Dominguez and Rosa Lozano along with other organizers and leaders just dropped “We Will Resist and Defend,” a powerful toolkit for organizers and advocates on workplace raids and audits.

In the age of the 45 Regime, there is a high expectation that more aggressive workplace enforcement actions and ICE raids take place against migrant workers. Therefore, it is crucial that communities are able to fight back and be able to defend themselves if necessary.

“This toolkit is important because it has in one place ready-made tools for organizers to jump into action to prepare and fight back workplace raids and audits that undermine worker rights.”

The tool-kit explains the processes and players involved in worksite enforcements, and provides resources and guidance on how to prepare for and respond to a raid or audit. Some topics covered are:

• What Are the Steps in an I-9 Audit?
• What Happens if an I-9 Audit Occurs While Workers are Exercising Their Rights?
• Guidance on the I-9 Process for Organizers and Advocates
• Frequently Asked Questions About Workplace Raids
• Preparing for a Possible Workplace Raid
• Guidance on Social Security Administration “No-Match” Letters
• Sample Union Contract Language on Immigration Protections
• Know Your Rights Palm Card – Multiple languages including Spanish

“The future of the labor movement depends on our ability to organize and defend all workers, especially those who face a multitude of attacks through racism, sexism, or xenophobia.”

“This toolkit is important because it has in one place ready-made tools for organizers to jump into action to prepare and fight back workplace raids and audits that undermine worker rights,” said, Mijente member and Director of Worker Center Partnerships at AFL-CIO,  Neidi Dominguez. “The AFL-CIO has the largest reach to the labor movement as it is a federation of 56 different unions and represents 12.5 million members so to have this tool be launched here is a big deal. This tool was made by people of color for people of color in an institution that is still lead by mostly white men.”

Building collective power and community-centered defense plans is important for movements of resistance.

For Rosa Lozano, “The future of the labor movement depends on our ability to organize and defend all workers, especially those who face a multitude of attacks through racism, sexism, or xenophobia. Fully uniting under this current political environment will be the only way to resist and grow power.”

To download the public version of the tool-kit click here. Request the full version of the toolkit here.

Neidi and Rosa made it happen with a team of Gloria Alvarado, Tamara Brummer, Chloe Osmer, Kelly Rodriguez, Matthew Ginsburg, Shannon Lederer and Robin Foster along with contributions from other organizations, check them out in the special thanks section.

Mario Gil Jr. is a second generation Mexican-American from Brooklyn, NY. In his spare time, he writes as a meditation practice, experiments with photography, and walks puppies in New York City. Follow him @gilmario_jr.

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