Creating a haven

When I first read this, it didn't seem that strange.

Jaime Martinez, Board Chair for the Cesar E. Chavez Legacy and Educational Foundation is asking city leaders to make San Antonio a "safe haven" for undocumented workers and their families. Martinez is calling for immigration reform on labor rights, reunification of the family, and giving illegal immigrants a pathway to citizenship.

"Close to 6 billion dollars a year is collected from these workers who do not have matching social security numbers," said Martinez in a press conference Tuesday. "We want the politicians to check the social security administration suspense files," explained Martinez. "[They're] going to be alarmed, that [illegal immigrants] do pay their fair share to America."

(from KSAT-12)

Sadly, cities that make life easier for illegal immigrants are not unusual, and it's not so surprising to see a push for this status in heavily Hispanic, largely Democrat San Antonio.

But what caught my eye is this passage:

Also attending the press conference was a representative from United Food and Commercial Workers, a worker's union that stands for achieving the American dream.

...

"What about all their benefits?" asked [UFCW representative Tony] Reyes. "Their 401Ks, and their vacations?"

Huh?

401ks?

I am not an accountant, but retirement plans like that are complex. How can anyone with a fake Social Security number get a 401k? Is it really possible?

And vacations? If someone is truly facing the difficult possibility of being deported to a land they fled in the first place because it was such a crappy place to live, do you really think they are going to worrying about whether or not they lose a few unused vacation days?

I think not. I think they will be worrying about life first.