Labor Secretary promotes protections for undocumented immigrant workers

In Wisconsin, industries including dairy and manufacturing heavily depend on undocumented immigrant labor, yet their rights and safety are often overlooked. At a recent event in Green Bay, Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Julie Su met with workers who shared their experiences of wage theft and unsafe conditions. Stephanie Bloomingdale, president of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO, highlighted that “far too often, unscrupulous employers have misused federal immigration law to target and intimidate immigrant workers.” The Deferred Action for Labor Enforcement (DALE) program offers temporary protection from deportation for undocumented workers who assist in labor investigations. Su emphasized the importance of community organizations like Voces de la Frontera in helping workers understand their rights, stating, “To workers who are toiling in the shadows, we see you, we hear you, and we are fighting for you.”