 At American Apparel, we've always felt strongly about the subject of immigration. Even as early as 2003, we were running ads and putting up billboards calling for reform (see here). Today this issue is more contentious than ever and we feel the time is ripe for individuals, companies, and communities to speak out honestly about it.
American Apparel will once again participate in the May 1st Immigration March and Rally in downtown Los Angeles. This year we've added a route from our factory that will eventually connect with other supporters near the city hall.
What: Employees, family and friends will assemble at the American Apparel factory and march, escorted by the LAPD, to the main rally point near Broadway and 1st Street. Why: To draw attention to the need for immigration reform in this country and support the diversity that makes Los Angeles amazing. When: Thursday, May 1, 2008 - Departure from American Apparel will begin at 3pm. Where: American Apparel Factory - 747 Warehouse Street Los Angeles, CA 90021. Major cross streets are 7th Street and Alameda. Route: Start northwest on 7th Street towards downtown. Right on Central then left on 5th Street and, finally, right on Broadway. Total distance, approximately 2 miles. We will begin to bus participants back to the factory starting at 5:30pm. Pick up site will be on 1st Street and Alameda. Join us at this pro-immigration march and rally, and receive a Free Legalize LA t-shirt from American Apparel. Don't forget to wear comfortable shoes! Employees: We ask that those of you who can carpool, please do so. Due to the time frame, there will be cars from the 1st and 2nd shift in the parking lot at the same time. Parking will be very limited and your cooperation is appreciated.
Watch this devastating video of a Van Nuys company being raided. Micro Solutions Enterprises is a family-run manufacturer and distributor of toner cartridges and other printing equipment. CHIRLA is an LA-based immigrant rights group.
See the Video
 Worcester Telegram & Gazette Robert Z. Nemeth April 6, 2008 Whereas many conservative Republicans have taken on an anti-immigrant political tone, Jason Riley, one of the editors of the Wall Street Journal, has written a book which makes a conservative, free market argument in favor of immigration. Writes Robert Z. Nemeth, who has reviewed the book, Let Them In: The Case for Open Borders, "Two general themes run through the book: One is that today's Latino immigrants aren't different from earlier immigrants, only newer; and the other is that an open immigration policy is not only compatible with free-market conservatism and homeland security, but it is also good for the economy." Observes Nemeth of Riley: "He blames the 'ratings-driven rhetoric' of radio talk show hosts, misguided neo-Malthusians (overpopulation alarmists) and assorted political opportunists for stoking the fire of anti-immigrant fervor that, he points out, goes all the way back to Benjamin Franklin. 'Scapegoating foreigners for domestic problems, real or imagined, is something of an American tradition,' he says." Read More
 The Wall Street Journal Jason Riley April 24, 2008 Blaming immigrants during times of economic downturn is nothing new. Editorialist Jason Riley tackles the incorrect assumption that "a job filed by an immigrant is one less job for a native." Riley asserts that immigrants create a more "flexible" environment in which immigrants often fill jobs that "complement U.S. workers, not elbow them aside." Read More
 Los Angeles Times Henry Weinstein March 13, 2008 The ruling says a detainee who later died of penile cancer was denied a biopsy of a lesion though several doctors said the procedure was urgently needed. His family will be allowed to seek damages. Read More
Los Angeles Times Nicole Gaouette August 11, 2007 
On August 8th, Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, and Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez, explained at a Conference of State Legislatures in Boston, that Congress's failure to pass immigration reform will hurt the American economy. Although this article was written last year, it details the government's awareness of how an immigration crackdown, and how measures like the 'No Match' law, will negatively impact the economy. It is well known that LA is the city that is most deeply dependent on unauthorized workers, and is therefore the most economically vulnerable. He characterizes the effect enforcement measures will have on businesses as a "thunderstorm" to "tsunami". "There will be some unhappy consequences for the economy out of doing this," he said in an interview with The Times.
Read More
Chertoff: Failure of Immigration Reform Led to
Extreme Measures  Newsday John Christoffersen April 7, 2008 In a recent speech by Michael Chertoff, Secretary of Homeland Security, calls for a "comprehensive" solution while speaking at Yale, April 7th. Read More
Bill Gates supports immigration reform too. At American Apparel we believe a more open immigration policy is good for business. Motivated industrial workers, professionals, artists, scientists, and entrepreneurs are always needed to keep America exciting and competitive. It seems like Bill Gates agrees to this line of thinking.
Scrap the Visa Cap
The Wall Street Journal Shikha Dalmia April 5, 2008 Shikha Dalmia, analyst and US immigrant, explains in her article, entitled Scrap the Visa Cap, "America's political leaders are so fixated on illegal immigration they've barely noticed that the U.S. is losing the race for the [most crucial resource in the knowledge economy: intellectual capital]. The cap on skilled worker (H1-B) visas is currently so low (65,000) that in April last year it got used up within a day of these visas becoming available, leaving thousands of left over engineers to be scooped up by America's competitors." Read More
 International Relations Center Tom Barry December 13, 2007 "'Attrition through enforcement' as a restrictionist framework for immigration reform has been percolating within the anti-immigration institutes in Washington, DC for the last couple of years. But it wasn't until the restrictionist movement beat back proposals for legalization that the strategy has taken hold as a unifying framework for restrictionism in America," reads this article entitled, "Planning The War on Immigrants." Whereas the Bush administration had previously argued in favor of immigration reform, following their failure to convince Congress to bring it about comprehensively, the government seems to have done a 180; they've adopted an enforcement-only approach purely for political reasons. According to the article: "Politics can be an ugly affair, and it doesn't get any uglier than when politicians try to best one another in the politics of hate and scapegoating." On one hand the government can blame their enforcement approach on Congress, for not having enacted immigration reform; on the other hand they can appease anti-immigrant forces, to help it win political points. "That's what is happening in America, as politicians and political candidates at all levels of government join the anti-immigration bandwagon. Meanwhile, immigrants who do the dirtiest work in America are living in fear as they face a generalized immigration crackdown and stepped-up immigration raids," explains the author. Read More
 89.3 KPCC (Southern California Public Radio) Air Talk with Larry Mantle April 16, 2008 Special Order-40 is a 35-year-old law that prevents LAPD officers from initiating an investigation for the sole purpose of determining an individual's legal status. It was implemented to allow undocumented residents who are victims of crimes or have valuable information regarding a crime, to come forward without fear of being deported. SO-40 does not prevent the LAPD from inquiring an individual's legal status, and reporting the findings to ICE, if an undocumented worker was arrested for a crime. Larry Mantel of 89.3 KPCC speaks with stakeholders on the issue. Listen to Audio (29m19s, MP3, 12MB)
 Miami Herald Andres Viglucci March 4, 2008 The Pachecos and their attorneys are making a touchy allegation: They contend Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents targeted the family to silence Gaby, a leader in efforts to legalize immigrant students who, like herself, were brought to the United States by their parents without permanent legal status. Read More
Los Angeles Times April 11, 2008 
Los Angeles Times editorial applauds the mayor for his stance on business and immigration. "Villaraigosa's willingness to brave such vitriol on behalf of good policy is genuine leadership," explains the article.
Read More On March 27, 2008, Mayor Villariaigosa sent a letter to the Secretary of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff. The letter states: "Together with the region's business leadership, I am gravely concerned that ICE's current apparent focus on non-exploitive employers in and around the City of Los Angeles could have severe and lasting effects on our local economy." He goes on to say, "Enforcement actions have targeted established, responsible employers with deep and enduring roots in and contributions to Los Angeles community and economic development." Read the Letter (PDF, 195 KB)
 CNN.com Terry Frieden January 31, 2003 How did we get to a point of crises with regard to the US immigration system? One issue has been how bureaucratic the system has been, and how it has been prone to delay as illustrated in this article from back in 2003. Read More
 Reuters Jon Hurdle April 3, 2008 There are those that claim that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency's "Operation Return to Sender" campaign is unconstitutional. Lawsuits have been filed by 10 plaintiffs. Read the details here. Read More
 The New York Times April 2, 2008 Undocumented workers add tens of billions of dollars to the Social Security pot each year. They pay taxes, but don't collect benefits. Would the people who want to "send them all back home" be willing to make up the difference and pay the taxes that the undocumented are currently paying? Read More
 Ventura County Star Justin Akers Chacon March 27, 2008 This article carefully describes how the "anti-immigrant movement has crafted in the public mind the archetype of the undocumented immigrant as Latino, criminal, and a threat to the 'American way of life.'" With this archetype carefully placed into the American consciousness, the article describes how the implementation of a variety of carefully designed anti-immigration maneuvers ultimately perpetuates an environment of fear and violence within the day to day life of Latinos. Read More
The first thing you see, getting off the plane in Stockholm, Sweden, is this CNN ad for the US election. What's even more interesting is that it's strictly addressed from the perspective of US immigration politics. Even though CNN is giving the topic a Swedish angle to target the local audience, facts remain, that America's largest news channel has acknowledged an overseas engagement in the US immigration issue.
See the Ad Translation: USA, the country where more than 14 million people have Swedish heritage. Who wins the election, affects you. The presidential election in USA, is closer to us than you think. Republicans, even if the opinions of the president candidates are divided, the majority is for a tougher immigration politics. Democrats, in general positive to an immigration reform and towards making ways for citizenship for undocumented workers.
The New York Times March 27, 2008 Leave it to the Bush administration to throw thousands of law-abiding American workers and companies off a cliff in perilous economic times. Read More
 Public Policy Institute of California Giovanni Peri February 27, 2007 Study by the Public Policy Institute of California, concludes that wages have increased as a result of immigration. Read More
There is a staggering amount of misinformation about immigrants in this country, sometimes supported, occasionally even perpetuated by the media. The National Immigration Forum separates fact from fiction with their Top 10 Immigration Myths and Facts.
Read Top 10 Immigration Myths and Facts
American Apparel applauds the position of the US Chamber of Commerce's efforts to bring about immigration reform in the United Sates. Here is a radio address by Angelo Amador, on the subject.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region. Listen to Radio Address and Read Transcript
Los Angeles Times Dowell Myers and Manuel Pastor March 22, 2008 Immigrants should not be viewed as a problem to be solved but an asset to our regional future. New research must be developed, then shared and debated, if we are to build a broader understanding of our interwoven destinies" writes Dowell Myers and Manuel Pastor, in this fantastic opinion piece which appeared in the LA Times. Amongst other things the article references a Public Policy Institute of California that "found that immigrants often complement local labor and actually prop up real wages for most native-born Californians. Read More
 Forbes Angelo A. Paparelli March 20, 2008 Commentary in FORBES supporting immigration reform, which will bloster job creation, and stimulate the economy. With respect to the anti-immigration position, the author writes, "Why must this folly continue? No reason--except for a pusillanimous Congress, cowed by cable TV pundits and bloviating bloggers who fuel the flames of xenophobia, all of whom have apparently forgotten the public's emphatic rejection of every anti-immigration candidate running for election this primary season." Read More
 Mercury News March 17, 2008 San Jose Mercury News has it right, in an editorial entitled GOP should quit playing games with immigration. There was a time when there was some leadership within the Republican party on the immigration issue. McCain spoke to the issue well, and even George Bush got it. But now McCain has changed his focus to emphasizing the border wall, even though it is estimated that half the illegal immigrants enter the country legally as visitors. We hope that pro-immigration Republican voices will soon surface. It is well known that immigrants create jobs, wealth, and prosperity for all Americans. Read More
 The Harvard Law Record Andrea Saenz March 13, 2008 
At American Apparel, we are not alone calling for immigration reform. Even the head of ICE wants immigration reform. Speaking at Harvard, Julie Myers, the Immigration and Enforcement Chief, expressed her hope that a new president will press for comprehensive immigration reform, which failed in Congress last year. Asked why ICE continued to prioritize large-scale workplace raids if Myers hoped those workers would soon be able to legalize their status, she replied that in the absence of immigration reform, she could not ignore the law, and that ICE raids on companies were "righteous" because they resulted in the arrest of immigrants engaged in identity theft. What she failed to mention is that companies are subject to raids even if they are fully in compliance with federal laws that require all employers to check workers documents showing authorization to work in the US. She also failed to mention that following ICE raids employers immediately hire new employees, again fully comply with federal laws requiring that new employees documents be checked, and the new employees are just as likely to be using unauthorized documents as those who were arrested. In short, these ICE workplace enforcement actions cost the tax-payers a bundle, separate families, seriously harm employers who are fully complying with all laws, and accomplish little other than the arrest of less than 1% of the undocumented work force living in the U.S. At American Apparel we believe the only real solution is to promptly legalize those workers who have not engaged in criminal conduct and are hard-working and productive members of their communities. Click here to see an an article written about Myers speech published in The Record, the independent newspaper of the Harvard Law School.
Read More
The New York Times Adam Nossiter March 12, 2008 The New York Times reports that Adriana Torres-Flores, a 38-year-old mother of three and an illegal immigrant, was left forgotten in an Arkansas courthouse cell for 4 days over the weekend without any food or water after a hearing. Read More
Associated PressDavid Crary March 9, 2008 The anti-immigration sentiment has resulted in more white supremacist hate groups in America. Read More
The Los Angeles Times Teresa Watanabe March 8, 2008 A investigator for the U.N. finds that America does not adequately protect the human rights of noncitizens and they are subjected to increased prolonged detentions in substandard facilities. Read More
The New York Times March 4, 2008 The NY Times takes a look at the government's botched plans for a border fence and their general ineptitude when it comes to immigration. Read More
 Time Kathleen Kingsbury December 13, 2006 This article examines new research revealing that immigrants are far less likely than American-born citizens to commit crimes. Read More
 The Evening Sun Steve Marroni March 30, 2008 This article explores the myth that migrant workers are "taking away the jobs of Americans" and how the lack of immigration reform could effect the American food supply. Read More
Obama and Clinton talked sense on the issue of immigration at the Texas debates.
Read the summary on The Border Line blog.
"I applaud American Apparel's commitment to its employees and to keeping its production facilities in downtown Los Angles, while so many businesses are moving their operations overseas. It's encouraging to know that American Apparel is defying this trend, while preserving hundreds of local jobs and at the same time increasing its bottom line. If other companies followed American Apparel's business practices, our American economy would be stronger today."
See the Letter
 Anti-Defamation League December 13, 2006 Last December 2006, a coalition of 18 human rights, defense and religious organizations signed the "Declaration of Los Angeles." Read More
The New York Times Louise Story January 18, 2008 The New York Times takes a look at American Apparel's stance on immigration reform, along with its new ad campaign. Read More
 Women's Wear Daily Marcy Medina December 28, 2007 Dov Charney is interviewed by WWD about his views on immigration reform and the effect it has on American Apparel. Read More
 National Public Radio Mandalit del Barco April 28, 2006 Back in 2006 NPR got Dov Charney's thoughts on the importance of immigrants to the U.S. economy. Listen to NPR Morning Edition Quicktime | Mp3 Read the Transcript
The Los Angeles Times Michael Hiltzik April 20, 2006 Dov Charney speaks candidly to The Los Angeles Times about his progressive views on immigration policy. Read More
Dov Charney, back in July 2003, spoke at an intellectual conference in Toronto, Canada on the issue of immigration.
See the Video See More Lectures
The County of Los Angeles honors Dov Charney for his achievements in the fashion industry. (2004)
See the Award
Congressman Henry Waxman acknowledges Dov Charney and his commitment to the apparel industry. (2004)
See the Award
Mayer James Hahn extends his congratulations to Dov Charney for his annual Fashion Industry Guilds annual "Honoree of the Year" ceremony. (2004)
See the Award Immigration
Fact Sheet 05/2008  The Immigration Fact Sheet identifies the extremist anti-immigration agenda, and reveals the truth about the ongoing value of immigrants in the United States. See the Fact Sheet Download the PDF (5.1MB) Legalize LA T-Shirt
  Unisex Legalize LA T-Shirt 100% of net proceeds will go to Los Angeles-based immigrant rights groups. The Ad
 Pro Immigration Ad run in The New York Times, The LA Times and other publications. See the Ad See the Spanish Version 10 Facts About Immigrants
Get the straight facts on some common misconceptions about immigrants.
It's a Fact
 FACT: Over 3,100 people have died trying to enter the US through the desert over the past ten years. By comparison, only 239 people died trying to cross the Berlin Wall during its 28 years of existence. FACT: It is estimated that 10% of L.A.'s population is falsely documented. Quotes
 John F. Kennedy President of the United States "This was the secret of America: a nation of people with the fresh memory of old traditions who dared to explore new frontiers, people eager to build lives for themselves in a spacious society that did not restrict their freedom of choice and action." "Immigration policy should be generous; it should be fair; it should be flexible. With such a policy we can turn to the world, and to our own past, with clean hands and a clear conscience." "Every ethnic minority, in seeking in its own freedom, helped strengthen the fabric of liberty in American life. Similarly, every aspect of the American economy has profited from the contributions of immigrants." "The contribution of immigrants can be seen in every aspect of our national life. We see it in religion, in politics, in business, in the arts, in education, even in athletics and in entertainment. There is no part of our nation that has not been touched by our immigrant background." From John F. Kennedy's 1958 book A Nation of Immigrants  Michael R. Bloomberg Mayor, New York City "It would destroy the economy if you deported them. They are here, yes, against the law, but they're here with the complicity of the U.S. government. The U.S. government deliberately looked away since 1986, the last time we had immigration reform." Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York, has been especially vocal and blunt in his criticism of the nation's failed immigration policy and stalled efforts to reform it in Congress. Last year, he made the following remarks: "[Lawmakers] should all look back on their history and realize that if we had had the laws that they are proposing in many cases, they wouldn't be here because their parents or grandparents would not have been here." "The guest-worker program is a joke. Nobody's going to go home for a year and come back. Nobody could ever enforce that. Nobody in their right mind would ever try to do it." "We don't have an army big enough to deport them. It would destroy the economy if you deported them. They are here, yes, against the law, but they're here with the complicity of the U.S. government. The U.S. government deliberately looked away since 1986, the last time we had immigration reform." "Having something that gives them permanent status and some road to citizenship is a big step forward." "It is as if we expect border control agents to do what a century of communism could not: Defeat the natural forces of supply and demand and defeat the natural human instinct for freedom and opportunity. You might as well sit on the beach and tell the tide not to come in." Recently, on a trip to China, Mayor Bloomberg made the following statements: "The xenophobia that unfortunately seems to be gripping parts of America is really very dangerous." "America became the world's leading economic nation by welcoming immigrants - and New York became America's leading commercial city by inviting them to stay. Immigrants built our city and country, bringing innovative new ideas to every field - and they're still at it."  Fabian Núñez Speaker of the California State Assembly On April 17, 2008 California State Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez and 28 Assemblymembers representing nearly half the population of the state, sent a strongly worded letter to the Secretary of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff. The letter focuses on breaches of constitutional rights during documented during the raid at Micro MicroSolutions Enterprise in Van Nuys (watch the CHIRLA video about this event) "As ICE continues with its record number of worksite raids throughout Southern California, a pattern of serious problems has emerged with regard to its interrogation, detention and deportation practices." Read the Letter  Frank Barbaro Orange County Democratic Party Chairman "I think this is all ridiculous. We have become incredibly addicted to this workforce — I don't know what California would do without the Latino immigration that we have, whether it's legal or illegal... we'd be up a creek without a paddle." Who We Are at American Apparel
 American Apparel has nearly 7,000 employees from over 80 countries. More than 1,900 were born in Mexico, more than 1,600 are from the United States, and over 1,200 from Central America. See a list of all the nationalities represented by our workforce. Related Articles
ABC News - Nightline
ABC World News Tonight CBS Sunday Morning American Apparel on PBS Life and Times/PBS Despierta America Univision Noticias 22 KVEA Telemundo Visit our Press Archive for a comprehensive listing of articles and video clips about our company.
Super Tuesday
 On February 5, 2008, week we posted this Super Tuesday slideshow on our homepage. Words of Support
 American Apparel Champions Immigration Reform Fashion Label Continues Years-Old Efforts Former employee CT Moore tracks our efforts towards immigration reform on his blog, capazoo. Read More "I just read your ad in the Times, it brought me to tears. I am a mexican immigrant and this issue is so near to my heart because it affects me and my family on a daily basis...." Read More |
Marriott President supports immigration reform.
Parts 1 and 2
Launch Slideshow
In 2002, American Apparel participated in the May Day March for Dignity.
Downtown Los Angeles - May 1, 2006
American Apparel on Lou Dobbs, praised as a "Made in America" success story.