Statement of US Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on this weeks immigration enforcement and workers rights report

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement regarding the AFL-CIO and American Rights at Work report ICED OUT: How Immigration Enforcement Has Interfered with Workers Rights.

"The Department of Labor is firmly committed to protecting the rights of all workers, and especially the rights of the most vulnerable workers in our economy.

"The violation of any one worker's rights is cause for concern to all American workers. When unscrupulous employers abuse vulnerable workers, honest employers and their workers suffer.

"I am proud that, as of Oct. 13, the Labor Department has hired 224 new wage and hour investigators to seek out employers in violation of the law wherever they may be. These investigators are working hard every single day to ensure that every worker is paid at least the minimum wage, that those who work overtime are properly compensated, that child labor laws are strictly enforced and that every worker is provided a safe and healthful environment.

"Wage and hour laws apply to every single worker in this country, regardless of immigration status. My department is working tirelessly to protect all workers' rights."

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