On the Occasion of the International Migrants Day:
Recognize and Protect the Rights of Undocumented Migrants!

Undocumented migrant workers are the unrecognized hands that contribute a lot to the economies of the countries they work in and countries where they come from. Yet, they are some of the most exploited, abused and repressed among the migrants.

The International Migrants Day is a most opportune time to put into light their situation and their issues. Currently, there are 30 million undocumented migrants and many more will surely join their ranks during these times of global recession.

They have been stigmatized as criminals and illegal aliens and have limited or no rights whatsoever. During crackdown operations, they suffer unthinkable physical, mental and emotional violence and their rights as human beings are never respected.

Like their legal counterparts, undocumented migrants are sources of cheaper and docile labor force found in sweatshops, farms and even in households though most of the latter do not enjoy many benefits and rights that the former enjoy including medical insurance. Undocumented workers became such by entering a destination country through unofficial channels; overstayed their visas; absconded from their employers because of abuse including non-payment of salaries or because their employers refused to release them like in the Middle East.

And again like their documented counterparts, these migrants were forced to work overseas because of the abject poverty and lesser economic opportunities in their own home countries brought about by destructive neo-liberal policies adopted by their governments. And their numbers are expected to grow larger because such policies have led to a global recession that has already resulted in the termination of documented migrant workers and lessened their labor and welfare benefits. A great number of them would rather choose to stay in the countries where they were laid off even in an undocumented status and accept harsher working and living conditions than being repatriated back home where such conditions are worse.

Yet they are deemed as criminals and illegal both by their own governments and especially that of the countries where they are working. The European Union (EU) is the latest government that comprises all its country members to approve new rules called EU Return Directives Policy which will impose penalties of detention for a maximum of 18 months for overstaying migrants, their deportation, along with their children, and blacklisting for five years. This would be implemented in 2010.

In the United States where there is the biggest number of undocumented migrants in any given country, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents raids homes and workplaces of the immigrant community The ICE is under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The periodic and brutal crackdowns in Malaysia are well known and documented. And the use of tasers and stun guns in South Korea is compounded by the arrests of the leaders of the Migrant Trades Union (MTU) and the creation of a quota on how many undocumented migrants are to be arrested on a monthly basis.

Undocumented migrant workers are not helpless and powerless despite of their status. The one million march for immigrants across the US on May 1st, 2006 and the formation of the Migrant Trades Union and other migrant organizations in South Korea whose members are mostly undocumented attests to this. Advocates from every sector of society including local trade unions and church people to name a few are also important in resisting crackdowns on undocumented workers.

The formation of the International Migrants Alliance (IMA) is most timely. Its resolution to campaign for the rights of undocumented migrants shall contribute a lot in getting the much-needed support of undocumented migrants in their struggles against criminalization, for legalization, and for their rights and wellbeing.

The IMA has also resolved to campaign for undocumented migrants during the next Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) activity to be held in Greece next year. This would be a very important campaign as Greece is part of so-called fortress Europe that would want to implement the EU Return Directives Policy in 2010. This policy is set to deport hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants in various member nations of European Union.

During this International Migrants Day, organizations and NGOS working on the concerns of undocumented migrants are united in a vow to intensify the struggles of undocumented migrants for their rights. Undocumented migrants deserve their right to be recognized as workers. They should not be made invisible, and worse, criminal anymore.

Signed by Members of the Network for the Recognition and Protection of the Rights of Undocumented Migrants

1. Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM)                                   Hong Kong
2. Teresa Gutierrez, Co-Coordinator                                                  USA
May 1st Coalition for Worker & Immigrant Rights
Deputy-Secretary General, International Migrants Alliance
3. Berna Ellorin, Secretary-General, BAYAN                                   USA
4. Carlos Canales, The Workplace Project                                          USA
5. NY committee for Human Rights in the Philippines                      USA
6. INDIES                                                                                          Indonesia
7. Retno Dewi, ATKI Jakarta                                                             Indonesia
8. MIGRANTE UAE Chapter                                                             United Arab Emirates
9. MIGRANTE � Middle East                                                           Middle East
10. MIGRANTE Nagoya
11. Filipino Migrant Center (FMC)                                                    Japan
12. Philippine Society in Japan (PSJ)                                                  Japan
13. Filipina Circle for Advancement and Progress (FICAP)                Japan �
14. Kalipunan ng mga Filipinong Nagkakaisa (KAFIN-Saitama)              Japan
15. KAFIN � Nagoya                                                                         Japan
16. KAFIN – Akishima, Tokyo                                                           Japan
17. Dulaang Bayan (DUYAN)                                                           Japan
18. Center for Japanese Filipino Families (CJFF)                               Japan
19. League of Filipino Seniors (LFS)                                                 Japan
20. Anakbayan � Japan                                                                       Japan
21. KAFIN Migrant Center                                                                Japan
22. MIGRANTE International                                                           Philippines
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For Information about the network, contact the Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM)

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Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM)
G/F, No.2 Jordan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR

Tel. no.:   (852) 2723-7536       �
Fax no.: (852) 2735-4559
General E-mail:  apmm@hknet.com

Other Email Addresses:
Managing Director :             director@apmigrants.org / rbultron@gmail.com
Advocacy Program :            advocacy@apmigrants.org / rbultron@gmail.com
Research and Publication:  publications@apmigrants.org / ahc@hknet.com
Women’s Program :            women@apmigrants.org / ecbuhay@gmail.com

WEBSITE: www.apmigrants.org

“We dream of a society where families are not broken up by the urgent need for survival.
We dream and will actively work for a homeland where there is opportunity for everyone to live a decent and humane life.”