To: President Bush and Members of Congress
For too long, our country has reaped economic benefits from the labor of foreign guestworkers — but has ignored the incredible abuses they endure. Guestworkers are routinely cheated out of wages; charged exorbitant fees to obtain low-wage, temporary jobs; virtually enslaved by employers; forced to live in squalid conditions; and denied medical benefits for injuries.
You now have the opportunity to right this terrible wrong. We must reform our broken immigration system. But this overhaul must not rely on perpetuating the exploitation of guestworkers. As part of immigration reform, please take action now to stop the shameful abuse of temporary foreign guestworkers and ensure that strong labor protections are enacted and vigorously enforced.
Let your voice be heard.