Rep. Paul Gosar seeks to rename Cesar Chavez Day for border control

PHOENIX — March 31 will no longer be known as Cesar Chavez Day, if one Arizona congressman were to get his way.

U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar introduced a resolution to rename the holiday that celebrates the legacy of Chavez, a civil rights and labor movement activist, to National Border Control Day.

The congressman’s office argued that the resolution supports Chavez’s work to “defend the interests of the American farmworkers” with nonviolent action that would “protect these workers against the business interests which would replace them with illegal foreign labor.”

“Cesar Chavez’s lifelong work to protect American workers should be echoed and celebrated throughout America,” Gosar said in a statement on March 29, a day after he introduced House Resolution 268.

“As open border Democrats continue to advocate against securing our southern border, it is critical to remember the damage illegal immigration does to legal American workers.”

President Barack Obama proclaimed the commemorative holiday in 2014. Arizona recognizes the holiday by closing state offices.

The resolution has since been referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor. Iowa Republican Rep. Steve King is also a cosponsor.

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