-Why Anti-War Activists Should Care About Immigrant Rights

Why Anti-War Activists Should Care About Immigrant Rights

Thursday, February 19, is the 62nd anniversary of Executive Order 9066 which
forced more than 100,000 Japanese Americans into internment camps during
World War II. The similarities with today are striking. Under the guise of
the “war on terrorism,” the Bush administration uses the tragic events of
September 11th to impose the domestic and international agenda of powerful,
right-wing forces, including an assault on new immigrant communities. While
their policies threaten the civil liberties of all, people of color bear the
brunt of the domestic impact of the Bush administration’s empire building
agenda. From secret detentions and deportations of immigrants, to increased
racial profiling, to cuts in social programs alongside massive increases in
military spending, the war is expanding the scope and depth of racial
injustice within the US.

Moreover, Bush’s strategy for winning popular support for his war policies
relies upon portraying people of color within the U.S., Iraq, and elsewhere
as security threats, and their lives and rights as less valuable than that
of others. In other words, racism and Bush’s war policies go hand in hand.

At the same time, polls show that anti-war sentiment and opposition to racial
profiling is greatest among people of color. Historically, communities of
color have played a central role in challenging U.S. war policies, just as
war abroad has gone hand-in-hand with repression at home.

To build the broad-based, powerful peace and justice movement we need, it’s
critical that anti-war activists incorporate work against the domestic
impact of Bush’s agenda into our efforts and work closely with communities
of color taking on this agenda. A major piece of that involves standing up
for immigrant rights.

Below are some ideas of what you can do. We hope you¹ll use the anniversary
of Executive Order 9066 as an occasion to begin incorporating these issues
into your work, if you’re not already doing so.

€LEARN MORE. United for Peace and Justice has just launched a new section of
our website that includes information on the most pressing immigrant and
civil rights issues. Please go to http://www.unitedforpeace.org/rights, read
the information, and share it with other members of your group. We also
strongly encourage you to invite an expert on immigrant rights from one of
your local immigrant rights organizations to speak at your group’s next
meeting.

€PARTICIPATE IN THE FEB. 20 NATIONAL DAY OF SOLIDARITY WITH MUSLIM, ARAB, AND
SOUTH ASIAN IMMIGRANTS. Join the Blue Triangle Network and dozens of other
organizations in a national day of solidarity to resist the scapegoating and
criminalization of Muslim, Arab and South Asian immigrants! Take action and
speak out on February 20th, 2004 as part of the National Day of Solidarity
with Muslim, Arab, and South Asian Immigrants! See
http://www.bluetriangle.org for more information and to find out if there’s
an action planned in your city.

€OPPOSE THE CLEAR ACT. The Clear Law Enforcement for Criminal Alien Removal
Act of 2003 would demand that local law enforcement agencies enforce federal
immigration laws. Its passage would mean that immigrants could become afraid
to approach the police ­ whether for protection from crime or to report
suspicious activity ­ because the police could deport them or their family
members. And state and local police departments are not trained –and do not
have the resources– to enforce immigration laws. This act would encourage
racial and religious profiling, leading to a greater number of civil rights
violations. You can add your group’s name to a growing list of
Organizations that oppose the CLEAR Act by emailing the National Immigration
Forum at ltramonte@immigrationforum.org For more information see
http://www.immigrationforum.org/currentissues/clear.htm

€SUPPORT THE TACO BELL BOYCOTT. Another way that immigrants are oppressed is
through sweatshop working conditions. Employers are taking advantage of this
post 9-11 environment, where immigrants know they’re easily subject to
deportation, to intimidate workers and discourage them from exercising any
of their rights. The Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) is a group of over
2,500 immigrant farm workers who are spearheading a boycott of Taco Bell.
Taco Bell is the one of the primary purchasers of tomatoes in South Florida.
Immigrant farmworkers must pick and haul nearly 2 tons of produce to make
$50 in a day. They face systemic harassment and violence at the hands of
their employers, including documented cases of forced labor. Until the
tomato pickers in Florida are assured fair wages and better working
conditions, CIW is encouraging everyone to boycott Taco Bell and to actively
seek the removal of Taco Bell restaurants from school campuses. For more
information about the Tac! o Bell campaign, see http://www.ciw-online.org/

€MAKE SURE IMMIGRANT RIGHTS ARE INCLUDED IN YOUR LOCAL MARCH 20th PROTESTS.
On the one year anniversary of the invasion of Iraq people around the
country and across the globe are working on protest activities demanding an
end to the US military and corporate occupation of Iraq. This is an
important opportunity to link the struggle to end the occupation of Iraq
with other critical issues, such as the defense of immigrants. The UFPJ
office can help you plan the best ways to make these connections, and our
web site is a source of great material you can use. Call us at 212-868-5545
and visit us online at http://www.unitedforpeace.org

DONATE TODAY TO THE MARCH 20 MOBILIZATION:
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/donate