Anti-Immigrant Campaigns in California

 The Immigration fight in this election is real. We should not assume all will be well.

 

In “liberal” California in 1994. Then Governor Pete Wilson ( Republican)was far behind in his election campaign.

A proposed ballot initiative Save Our State was placed on the ballot by anti immigrant forces. It had numerous anti- immigrant clauses, mass deportations, mass arrests, etc. It included provisions to deny immigrant children access to public schools ( they cost money). It would have required teachers to turn in students that they thought were undocumented. 

Anti-immigrant and Anti Mexican reached a level not seen since Operation Wetback in 1953-1954. Voters in California passed the Prop. 187 by a margin of 62 % to 38%. Governor Wilson focused his re-election campaign on Prop. 187 and won re-election easily. 

Subsequent.

All but one of Pro.187 provisions were blocked from enforcement by federal courts based upon the U.S. constitution.

In later years, the political mobilization in the Latino community in response to Prop.187 led to a turn around in California politics and the election of numerous Latino leaders. 

DSA in California worked night and day to defeat Prop.187, and we lost. 

 

The current  focus of the Trump campaign on immigration is using similar scapegoating, false narratives, altered images, and this week the scandal in Springfield, Ohio.

Please be aware. There is an available, hidden anti-immigrant vote in many states. Arizona, Texas and Florida have passed and are enforcing harsh bills.

The action in Texas at the border, a state with a large Mexican-American population, illustrates how these campaigns can be used to promote proto fascists governments. 

 

Capital and Main is a Los Angeles based news outlet with strong union ties.

As Election Nears, Republicans Pour Millions Into Anti-Immigrant Ad Campaign

Candidates and their supporters have spent $117 million to portray the situation at the border as an invasion.

 

https://capitalandmain.com/as-election-nears-republicans-pour-millions-into-anti-immigrant-ad-campaign

 

It would be foolish to ignore the potential of these campaigns. 

 

Duane Campbell

Sacramento.

Former member of the DSA Immigrants Rights Working Group. 

 

See, “The Blue-ing” of California.  Harold Meyerson. New Labor Forum.   CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies. Jan. 2020. 

Republicans Pour Millions into Anti Immigration Election Efforts

   

As Election Nears, Republicans Pour Millions Into Anti-Immigrant Ad Campaign

Candidates and their supporters have spent $117 million to portray the situation at the border as an invasion.

 

https://capitalandmain.com/as-election-nears-republicans-pour-millions-into-anti-immigrant-ad-campaign

 

DSA Statement on the Anti Immigrant Campaign in Springfield , Ohio and response

 Statement of Democratic Socialists of America ( NPC)

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Solidarity with Springfield’s Haitian Community: DSA’s Statement on Anti-Immigrant Violence

September 17, 2024

DSA condemns in the strongest possible terms the hateful lies promoted by Donald Trump, J.D. Vance, and other Republican officials targeting Haitian immigrant communities in Springfield, Ohio. These lies have led to ongoing school and hospital closures over bomb threats, smashed windows, acid thrown on cars, death threats, and the canceling of beloved local cultural events due to safety concerns. The goal is clear: Trump’s lies intend to incite violence and harassment against working-class immigrant communities, not just in Springfield, but toward Black people living all over the country. In the lead up to their second term, he’s touting plans to launch mass deportations targeting millions. The far-right wants to divide and conquer the working class by using xenophobia and racism to pit workers against one another in a race to the bottom. 

 

Democrats, including presidential candidate Kamala Harris, have enabled this rhetoric by remaining silent about the attacks on Springfield, while also affirming her plans to expand border policing. This is nothing less than appeasement to growing fascist anti-immigrant rhetoric.

 

The Presidential debate last Tuesday made clear that Trump’s hateful Project 2025 agenda would be catastrophic for the working class, both at home and abroad. Opposing the far right, as represented by the Republican Party under Trump’s neo-fascist leadership, is a necessity for the working class and for our movement.

 

The truth is that working people everywhere have a common humanity and shared struggle against the exploitative capitalist economic system, which is the real root cause of the increasing precarity and insecurity in our society. DSA is fighting for a world where all people live together in peace, regardless of race, ethnicity, or national origin. Immigrants are welcome here. People everywhere are hurting, struggling to pay bills, buy groceries, and live beyond paycheck to paycheck. But this is not because of the immigrants who are living in this country: our suffering is due to the insatiable greed of the billionaire class.

We will stand against anti-immigrant hate anywhere and everywhere it appears, and we continue to fight against the greed of billionaires like Donald Trump and the lies they tell to keep us from achieving working class solidarity.

----------          --------------            -----------

 

National DSA has made the statement above.  Most of the statement is a good statement of the situation and policy. https://www.dsausa.org/statements/solidarity-with-springfields-haitian-community/

 

 

The following part of the statement is in error. 

 

Democrats, including presidential candidate Kamala Harris, have enabled this rhetoric by remaining silent about the attacks on Springfield, while also affirming her plans to expand border policing. This is nothing less than appeasement to growing fascist anti-immigrant rhetoric.

 

See here for the errors. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/17/us/politics/harris-trump-haitian-migrants-pets.html

 

This  unfortunate view is also in error.

This is nothing less than appeasement to growing fascist anti-immigrant rhetoric.

 

On our blog.

https://www.dsanorthstar.org/blog/re-dsa-statement-on-anti-immigrant-violence

 

 

Here are ways you can join with other North Star members in building this electoral effort. 

** North Star: Defeat MAGA/Fight for Democracy Action Opportunities
opportunities:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cRIJsSJwtF72ckJ8QLQu5cDCGnoeh5OIIjwqRkDKdBg/edit?usp=sharing

 

 

 

 

We propose that DSA members and others participate in the effort to defeat the growing anti fascist movement as advanced by the Republican – MAGA movement and the  2024 effort to elect Donald Trump as President .

 

Here are ways you can join with other North Star members in building this electoral effort. 

** North Star: Defeat MAGA/Fight for Democracy Action Opportunities
opportunities:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cRIJsSJwtF72ckJ8QLQu5cDCGnoeh5OIIjwqRkDKdBg/edit?usp=sharing

 

 

On our blog.

https://www.dsanorthstar.org/blog/re-dsa-statement-on-anti-immigrant-violence

 

Kevin de León Responds to Trump

On November 9th, 2016, many of us woke up feeling like strangers in a foreign land; abandoned by Donald Trump's dark vision for the future of America - one that included some, and excluded many.

By a margin in the millions, Californians overwhelmingly rejected politics fueled by resentment, bigotry, and misogyny and embraced a resistance fueled by diversity and inclusivity. 

Last night San Diego joined the majority of Californians in supporting SB54, which protects immigrant families and keeps our communities safe. 

Yesterday, Trump brought a gaggle of Republican, anti-immigrant politicians from California to the White House, to plot against the policies that keep all of our residents safe. 

The entire meeting was disappointing, but when President Trump called immigrants "animals," it became offensive. 

Our hardworking immigrant families aren’t “animals”, Mr. President. 

The families you’re tearing apart are people, just like you. No matter how hard you try, you can’t strip away their humanity.

Mr. President, you're lying through your teeth because you're terrified Republicans will lose control of Congress. I have news for you: California -- the largest state in the union and the strongest driver of our nation’s economy -- will make sure they do.