Defending Immigrants and Opposing the Authoritarian Enemy. With, or Without DSA.

by Duane Campbell

​The current hearings on the January 6 committee clearly indicate that  the authoritarian/neo fascist threat we described in our NS strategy continues to grow.
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We said “The authoritarian threat is global. Donald Trump’s collaborators include Narendra Modi in India, Victor Orban in Hungary, Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil, Vladimir Putin in Russia, and Rodrigo Duterte in the Philippines. Describing such demagogues as populist obscures their neo-fascist nature and their support from corporate interests. Theirs is a budding alliance that strengthens corporate interests’ ability to perpetuate climate-destroying fossil fuel consumption and accumulate wealth from wage theft, tax evasion, and financial deregulation. Their drive for profit runs roughshod over workers’ rights and concentrates growing economic power in fewer hands. Their neglect of the common good precluded effective responses to Covid-19 and enabled an anti-vax movement, leading to catastrophic loss of life. 
 
We in North Star would like to emphasize the gravity of this threat, but we also recognize the historical precedents for an effective movement against it. People of color are already playing a leading role in resistance to neo-fascism in the United States. Growing voices across the political spectrum support the fight for universal, fundamental human needs and human rights. White people are increasingly aware of the importance of white supremacy in corroding U.S. democracy."

We can clearly see that in  the coming battle to oppose the Republican authoritarian machine our opponents are using both fear of crime and fear of immigration as central organizing vehicles in their campaigns.  And we know that these kind of campaigns can work. 
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/chese-boudin-backlash-san-francisco-prosecutor
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​Fear, and opposition to immigration has an equally powerful negative potential.
See here. How police security is constructed in Uvalde.
https://www.texasobserver.org/uvalde-and-the-border-security-scam/?://www.texasobserver.org/uvalde-and-the-border-security-scam/?

It is clear that migration will grow, and probably increase due to both climate change and the growing economic crisis in poor countries.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/11/world/americas/mexico-migrant-caravan-photos.html

It also seems to me clear, that national DSA is not going to respond to the growth of the authoritarian threat.  The national leadership  does not share the perspective of the North Star strategy. And, the Democrats have not made significant progress to deal with the approaching migration crisis.   For example, Biden has said he is willing to accept 20,000 more refugees this year but there are over 100,000 already waiting at the border (not including Ukranians). 

The DSA convention has committed itself in 2019 and 2021 to make Immigration a national priority.  The NPC has decided that they will not make it a priority. North Star participated in this advocacy. 

The group Immigrant Rights Working Group, including several members of North Star were working on immigrant rights within DSA, however that IMWG has been “restructured”  to oppose practical immigrant rights support with the cooperation of some of DSA’s leadership. 
https://www.dsanorthstar.org/blog/immigrants-rights-actions-of-a-disciplined-cadre-ends-the-effective-work-of-a-dsa-working-groupimmigrants-rights-working-group-dsa

I think that those of us who recognize the substantial role of immigration in building the U.S. working class, and who recognize the important battle lines being drawn by the authoritarian right ( Republicans) will need to take up the mantel of defending immigrants ‘ rights ( as recognized  to by the DSA conventions) . We will need to engage the battle as a part of the broader efforts to defeat the new fascists ( including Republicans).  This is in line with stated North Star strategy. We also  have as allies the democratic socialist Squad.

This is what a responsible left will do. This is what democratic activists  had to do as our participation in 2020 in the campaign to defeat Donald Trump. We won the first round.  The battle continues.  The threat to the nation continues. We will need to do it again in 2022 and 2024 (at least). 

Ideas on how to best promote such a campaign are welcome.  In the prior version of the IMWG, we adopted strategies of working closely with the activists immigrant rights groups such as Mijente, LCLAA,  Border Solidarity groups and others.