Threat to Fire Illegal Workers

Re “Unionizing Is Catch-22 for Illegal Immigrants,” Jan. 16: Employers know that immigrants who are vulnerable to deportation are vulnerable to exploitation, and they are often willing to take advantage of that fact. But the solution is not to threaten to fine or punish employers more--they’ll just go to greater lengths to keep their workers underground.

The solution lies in the kind of victory we saw in the Holiday Inn Express case, where low-income immigrant women stood up for their right to unionize, despite their undocumented status. If the U.S. government is really concerned about stopping sweatshop conditions, it should allow such brave women immunity from deportation to give others incentive to testify against unscrupulous employers.

SASHA KHOKHA

Oakland

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The article says: “Employers are increasingly fighting union campaigns by firing or threatening undocumented workers, thwarting labor organizers and defying the intent--if not the letter--of immigration law.”

In the early 1950s, my wife and I were fined by the INS for hiring an illegal immigrant to take care of our small child while we worked. Has the law changed? If not, has The Times bent the law in the quote above?

My view is that illegals are in desperate need of jobs--willing to risk their lives to come to the U.S. If the law is enforced (a fine for hiring illegals), I wouldn’t have to pay taxes for keeping them out at the border. We should enforce the law (as in 1953), put the burden on the employers and if we need more employees, then liberalize the number of immigrants who are allowed to come into the country.

ROBERT P. MILTON

Corona del Mar