S.B.4 Will Have Disastrous Consequences for Working People

A statement from Communications Workers of America President Claude Cummings Jr.:

This week, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed into law S.B.4, a bill that requires law enforcement agencies in Texas to arrest and detain anyone suspected of being an undocumented immigrant if they cannot immediately prove their immigration status. Thousands of Texans, including many members of our union, will likely be stopped and interrogated by law enforcement simply because of the color of their skin. Some of them will be improperly detained, which will have disastrous consequences for working people who will lose pay—or even their jobs—as a result.

This law doesn’t just encourage racial profiling—it requires it, while undermining community safety by increasing mistrust and forcing local governments to shift funding away from community priorities.

Laws like S.B.4 were declared unconstitutional over a decade ago, but they are being resurrected by Abbott and others across the country to generate fear, score political points, and pander to white supremacists.

Humanitarian crises across the globe have resulted in increased migration. Addressing this issue will require thoughtful solutions that recognize our shared humanity, not cynical bills like S.B.4 that foster stereotypes and increase division.

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About CWA: The Communications Workers of America represents working people in telecommunications, customer service, media, airlines, health care, public service and education, manufacturing, tech, and other fields.

cwa-union.org @cwaunion