I heard them saying, 'Where are you from? Where are your parents from?' Wilder told MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace. 'And I just stepped in and said this is very inappropriate to ask these kids anything ... I'm just going to have them implement their Fifth Amendment right, and not say anything to you.'
Activists in the city's Black immigrant community praised the Council's upcoming action as a move toward dignity for these workers. 'These bills represent more than policy - they are a step toward justice for communities who have too often been invisible in the workforce,' said Adama Bah, the founder of Afrikana.
"There's no Spanish translation of the updated plan," said Fernanda Vega, an organizer with the Imperial Valley Equity and Justice Coalition. "We cannot continue to push aside Spanish-speaking residents, especially when their health and livelihoods are at stake."