Immigrants of the Day: Thai Garment Workers

The L.A. Times updates us on a horrible story that had a happy ending. Over a decade ago, more than 70 Thai laborers weres enslaved behind razor wire and around-the-clock guards in an El Monte (a Los Angeles suburb) 0sweatshop, where they were forced to work 18-hour days for what amounted to less than a dollar an hour. “[A] shocked public learned of slavery in its midst and flooded the Thai laborers with American generosity: Churchgoers offered shelter, community advocates proffered English lessons and job tips, lawyers fought for work permits and legal status for the group.”

Exactly 13 years to the day the Thai laborers won their freedom, two of the laborers took the oath of allegiance to her new nation at a ceremony, where more than 3,600 citizens were scheduled to be sworn in. Dozens of the El Monte workers have acquired citizenship this year or expect to do so soon. More than 40 of them had gathered last Sunday to celebrate with the Asian Pacific American Legal Center, which successfully fought for a $4-million settlement from manufacturers and retailers for their exploitation and won an uphill battle to gain legal status for the workers. “Because of their courage, they were able to take what was a horrific experience and emerge from it as victors,” said the legal center’s Julie Su, their lead attorney for 13 years. “I’m really proud of them, but I’m also proud of America because this nation opened its arms to them and showed its best ideals of freedom and human rights.”

KJ