Following threats made by President Donald Trump against Minnesota’s Somali Immigrants, Unions and local allies held a demonstration at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport last week to rally around their targeted community members and call out the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) and some airlines for cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation flights. Members of the Minnesota AFL-CIO, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 26 and UNITE HERE Local 17 marched with Faith Leaders and local lawmakers, sending a message that Working People in the State will not be divided. Minnesota AFL-CIO President Bernie Burnham said in a statement: “In the Labor Movement, an injury to one is an injury to all. By vilifying our Somali American Co-Workers and neighbors and threatening military-style raids in Minnesota’s communities, President Trump is attacking our State’s entire Labor Movement. President Trump and his cronies are hoping Working People will forget that Immigrants aren’t standing between us and a better life - billionaires are. We refuse to let them break our solidarity.” SEIU Local 26 President Greg Nammacher said: “These are private companies that are profiting off of deporting our Brothers and Sisters out of this very airport, which is paid for with our tax dollars.” UNITE HERE Local 17’s Internal Organizing Director Geof Paquette said: “These deportations are ripping families apart and are doing nothing but (sowing) fear and anxiety in our community. We’ve got to demand better from our local Government Leaders, from the MAC who runs the airport who knows these deportation flights are taking place.” 

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: “No More Terrorizing Families”: Minnesota Workers Rally Against ICE Deportation Flights - Workday Magazine

Photo Provided By The National AFL-CIO.