Monday, June 11, 2007

In Mamaroneck, NY, day laborers have won an agreement (stemming from a lawsuit in 2004 about the village closing down a day laborer site) that would prevent village police from checking the immigration status of day laborers and would require the village to pay the lawyers of the day laborers who sued $500,000. Signed off on by federal Judge Colleen McMahon, this agreement must still by ratified by the village Board of Trustees.
UPDATE: See also this Washington Post story on the decision.
UPDATE 2 (6/12): The village ratified the agreement 3-1 last night. Also today, the new "day laborer" center for the village opened. According to this Newsday story:
The workers will be invited to assemble inside a chapel of the Strait Gate Church, and a lottery system will be used to assign them to contractors who drive into the parking lot looking for laborers.

Classes in English, job safety and health also will be available.

"We believe this will be a great day to begin a lifelong process of coming together and sharing our different cultures," said Bishop Wayne Powell of the Strait Gate Church.