Nomination of Andrew Puzder for Labor Secretary Raises Concerns for American Workers

The American people need to be reassured that the incoming Labor Secretary will not prioritize the interests of cheap labor employers over the interests of American workers.

—Dan Stein, President of FAIR

(December 8, 2016 — Washington, D.C.) - The following statement was issued by Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) regarding the nomination of Andrew Puzder to be U.S. Secretary of Labor:

“Donald Trump was swept into office by championing the cause of American workers who have seen their jobs and wages steadily eroded by a combination of factors, including an immigration system that allows employers to exploit low-wage workers from other countries.

“President-elect Trump’s choice of Andrew Puzder to run the Department of Labor raises questions and concerns about whether he will vigorously defend the interests of American workers. Puzder has served as an executive of a fast food conglomerate — an industry that has thrived on low-wage labor, illegal workers, and which has lobbied for greater access to foreign guest workers to maximize corporate profits.

“Based on Puzder’s support for increased guest workers, can struggling American workers count on him to maintain tight labor markets that promote wage increases? Are his positions advocating ‘a pathway to adjusted status for those here illegally now,’ consistent with the interests of American workers who have been undermined by illegal immigration, or the Trump administration’s goal of reinstating the rule of law and putting Americans back to work?

“The outgoing Secretary of Labor prioritized the interests of illegal aliens over those of American workers. The American people need to be reassured that the incoming Labor Secretary will not prioritize the interests of cheap labor employers over the interests of those same American workers.”