In a letter to the editor in The Washington Post on August 20, UFCW International President Marc Perrone criticized presidential candidate Donald Trump and emphasized the need to take issues such as comprehensive immigration reform seriously. The full piece is available below.
Mr. Trump’s circus aside, we need a serious debate on immigration reform
“The circus surrounding Donald Trump and his presidential campaign paralyzes our country, preventing it from having a constructive debate about immigration [“Trump driving migrant debate,” front page, Aug. 18].
“We can’t solve our country’s immigration crisis by focusing on the antics and destructive proposals of a political campaign based on eccentric, misguided and insular views. Hard-working people are exploited every day at the hands of our outdated immigration system. Instead of addressing the causes of a broken system, candidates such as Mr. Trump turn a blind eye to the abuse that workers and their families face.
“Let’s have a serious debate, not one defined by sound bites and divisive rhetoric. Let’s begin by taking a comprehensive approach to immigration reform that includes a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Mr. Trump may not want this, but reasonable Americans understand that this is the path to a better and more united country.”
View the video to learn more about the work that UFCW and UFCW members are doing to support immigrant workers and fight for immigration reform.