Just Economics stands in solidarity with our immigrant neighbors in Western NC and beyond. With the presence of ICE in North Carolina, we are concerned about the threats to members of our community and the negative impacts to workers and to businesses who are at the core of our mission – building a more just and sustainable local economy that works for all in Western North Carolina.
We are committed to sharing resources including:
Immigrant Family Preparedness Toolkit
Know Your Rights from Pisgah Legal Services
Worker’s Rights Fact Sheets from the NC Justice Center
24/7 Community Hotline – 1-888-839-2839
We were deeply moved by the powerful words of Stephanie MacDonald of the NC AFL-CIO at a press conference on Monday, November 18th and we strongly endorse her message.
“We are here today because the fight for workers’ rights and the fight for immigrant justice are one and the same. When we defend labor unions, we defend the dignity of every worker. And when we protect immigrants from ICE raids and intimidation, we protect the very foundation of our communities.
Labor unions are built on solidarity. They remind us that no worker should stand alone against exploitation. Immigrant workers—documented or undocumented—are the backbone of industries across this country: from farms and factories to hospitals and schools. Yet, too often, these workers face a double threat: wage theft and unsafe conditions from employers, and fear of detention or deportation from ICE.
We demand that workplaces remain safe from ICE intrusion. A union hall, a job site, a school—these must be sanctuaries, not hunting grounds. We call for contracts and union protections that explicitly shield immigrant workers from retaliation based on immigration status. We urge elected officials to pass legislation that bars ICE from conducting raids in workplaces, schools, and public places
When ICE terrorizes our neighbors, it weakens every worker’s bargaining power. Fear divides us, and division is the oldest trick in the boss’s book. But when we stand together—native-born and immigrant, documented and undocumented—we cannot be broken.
We are a family. An injury to one, is an injury to us all.
So, we say to ICE: you will not break our families.
We say to corporations: you will not silence our unions.
And we say to every worker: your rights do not stop at the border, your dignity does not depend on a document, and your voice will be heard.
This is our pledge: to fight for labor, to fight for immigrants, and to fight until justice is won.”
Just Economics will update the resources on this page on an on-going basis.