​Washington, DC - In response to the Supreme Court's decision to grant Certiorari in the case of in Janus v. AFSCME Council 31, the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (APALA) issued the following statement from Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) union leaders:
 
"Janus v. AFSCME attempts to attack working people's ability to form strong unions and build power for their families and communities. As the nation's largest union, the National Education Association continues to fight for our members, our students, and their families. Our entire movement to build equity and opportunity for all people -- not just the wealthy 1% -- hangs on our ability to organize the unorganized and to elevate and strengthen workers' voices everywhere."  -- Monica Thammarath, APALA National President and Senior Liaison at the National Education Association
 
"We need to challenge the corporate interests that drive this case forward and threaten our ability to support and protect the economic stability of our members, their families, and our communities. The goal of Janus is clear: a play for power backed by millionaires working to pad their own pockets by rigging the economy in their favor. We will not let them silence the voices of workers nationwide." -- Kim Geron, APALA 1st Vice President and member of the California Faculty Association
 
"Unions not only represent the interests of millions of working people and their families, but also provide a path to economic security and upward mobility and access to healthcare, retirement security, and other quality public services. The strength we have in numbers is crucial to leveling a playing field that has too often been tipped in the hands of the anti-worker, extremist, wealthy few." -- Johanna Puno Hester, APALA 2nd Vice President and International Vice President of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees
 
"The true intentions behind Janus are disgusting. Too long have corporate interests suppressed the freedoms of working people and our families. We will not back down, and we will continue to amplify the voices of our educators, our students and their families, and all public sector workers who play vital roles in our communities." -- Tracy Lai, APALA National Secretary and Vice President of Human Rights of the American Federation of Teachers Washington
 
"This fight for our union movement is now. Raising wages, improving working conditions, and creating thriving communities for union and nonunion members alike, including those in AAPI communities, are victories we've fought for time and again. We will not tolerate these tactics that aim to divide us and curb the collective power we've built and continue to build." -- Luisa Blue, APALA National Executive Board Member and Executive Vice President of the Service Employees International Union
 
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Washington, DC - On September 25, 2017, Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC), James Lankford (R-OK), and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) introduced the SUCCEED Act, a Republican-led bill that would only offer relief to some Undocumented immigrant youth while continuing the ongoing criminalization of other immigrant communities.
 
In response, Monica Thammarath, APALA National President, said:
 
“The SUCCEED Act is yet another attempt by right-wing, white supremacist Republicans to use DACA recipients and other Undocumented immigrant youth as bargaining chips to advance their anti-immigrant agenda. Instead of focusing on protecting youth at-risk for detention or deportation, members of Congress are engaging in a political game wasting the window of opportunity we have at swiftly passing a clean DREAM Act. We call on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) to bring the DREAM Act, the only true path forward, as it is written to the floor for a vote.”  
 
As of this morning, 118 members of Congress have signed on to the Discharge Petition, which would force House Leadership to allow Representatives to vote on the DREAM Act. Check here to see if your representatives have signed on.

Don’t see your Representative on the list? Call 844-551-6921 and demand that they immediately sign onto the discharge petition and pass a clean DREAM Act. We’re only 100 members away from the 218 members needed to force the vote!
 
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Washington, DC - Yesterday, the Trump Administration announced an expanded Muslim and Refugee Ban, which restricts travel from countries, including Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen. Six of these eight countries are Muslim-majority. APALA National President Monica Thammarath issued the following statement in response:

"Let us not be fooled by the Administration's guise of 'Making America Safe.' This order is yet another attempt of a Muslim Ban and does the exact opposite of making us safe. As the Administration continues to divide our country by criminalizing immigrants, Muslims, refugees, and people of color, APALA continues to fight against hate and the emboldening of white supremacist acts of terror at home. We look forward to hearing the Supreme Court's oral argument this October 10 as our labor unions and community partners continue to join together to fight against the Muslim Ban. We have faith in our court system to once again challenge and block this ban as they have done before, and we continue to pressure our elected officials to rescind the ban and protect our immigrant and refugee community."

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