Call to the Convention: Defend Immigrants Rights

Resolution on the Defense of Immigrants and Refugees
Authors: Immigrants’ Rights Working Group Steering Committee
 
Whereas: Immigrants in the United States are living under apartheid conditions. Under the U.S. constitution, persons living in the U.S. are promised basic human rights; however, under the current legal framework migrants in the U.S. are disenfranchised from basic legal protections. The migrant working class constitutes at least 20 %  of the working class.  This working class population – residents of the U.S., must not be ignored by a socialist platform.  Political projects that do not include a substantive and realistic analysis  the migrant working class fail to understand both race and class in the U.S. and thus fail to address our  fundamental political tasks. 
 
Whereas: To achieve these ends we must first, promote the empowerment, self-determination and liberation of Blacks, Latinos, Asians, indigenous,  and other oppressed nationalities and immigrants within DSA and within the nation.   Our opposition must be of at a level sufficient enough to defeat these forces.
 
Be it resolved:
 
1)That the Democratic Socialists of America will make defense of immigrant and refugee rights a top national priority of the organization to be spear headed  by the National Immigrants Rights Working Group in coordination with national staff. 

2)That Democratic Socialists of America reaffirm our position that no human being is illegal and that all working people and oppressed people are welcome in our organization on an equal basis regardless of immigration or citizenship status.

3)That Democratic Socialists of America support the struggles of immigrant communities around immediate demands (such as restoring DACA)  as well as the right of immigrants and their communities to lead in this struggle and to determine its tactics.  We stand with Dreamers, TPS holders, farmworkers and community organizers who have worked tirelessly for legislative relief for migrant communities.   We push further for broad and inclusive legislation  and administrative actions that regularizes the status and ensures the full integration of all migrants and refugees
 
4)That Democratic Socialists of America demand:

• Abolition of ICE and the end to the persecution, jailing, and deportation of immigrants.    
• Aid to those fleeing from violence, political and economic turmoil, imperialism, colonialism, as well a global     warming induced climate change instead of  barring refugees at our borders and jailing those who arrive.
• Full labor rights for all those who work within the country and the integration of the labor movement with  those  who struggle for immigrant rights.
• Elimination of H-2 A, “guest worker” type programs.
• A firm and unequivocal stance in favor of immigrants and refugees, and the completion of the promises made by the Biden campaign. 

5)We recognize that the January 6, 2021 insurrection in the capitol highlighted the several unresolved  crises  racism and abuse of power in the  US. The National Immigrants Rights Working Group highlights those abuses targeted at immigrant communities and  will join with other immigrants rights groups to oppose the expansion of  this racist  anti  immigrant agenda. 
6)The National Immigrants Rights Working Group will  coordinate activities within DSA  under this resolution and develop a program of education on the history and political economy of immigration. 
 
 Request: 
One quarter time staff person and appropriate support personnel and resources.  
 
We support the amendment.
Duane Campbell.  Immigrant Rights Working  Group

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