Union will stand strong

By Geoconda Arguello-Kline, secretary-treasurer for the Culinary Union

Wednesday, July 12, 2017 | 2 a.m.

The Culinary Union has been fighting for Nevadans for over 82 years, and we will not stop. As the largest immigrant organization in Nevada, we are proud to have helped over 16,000 immigrants become American citizens and new voters since 2001.

We will resist any attempt to attack workers, Muslims, women, people of color, immigrants and LGBTQIA+.

We will not allow our families and the people we love to be separated. We will not let divisive tactics distract us from our goals of economic justice and ensuring that workers have fair wages, job security, good health care and the opportunity to provide for their families.

We will hold politicians — who have been elected to represent us — accountable for their inactions and deafening silence in the face of President Donald Trump’s actions on immigration enforcement and his travel ban.

We commend our elected officials who have declared their support for sanctuary cities, and we demand that those who have not yet pledged support of immigrants who are under attack do the same.

This country was built on the backs of slaves, on land stolen from Indigenous peoples, and most of its inhabitants are descendants of immigrants. We will not be silent as our government discriminates based on religion and national origin — it is unconstitutional and shameful. Refugees are welcome, and we should let them in.

When our communities are under attack, we will stand up and fight back to ensure that all people who make this country great have a seat at the table.