No Ban – No Wall, DSA Builds Activist Response to Trump’s Actions
Anti-Racism Working Group- DSA
On January 23, Donald Trump signed executive orders to build the wall along the Mexican border and changed the terms of engagement of the federal Border Patrol. If this order is found constitutional, the Border Patrol and ICE could subject millions of immigrants to deportations. He also issued an order threatening to withdraw federal funds from the more than 300 U.S. cities that have declared themselves sanctuaries for immigrant students, workers, and members of their families. Targeting sanctuary cities in this way is contrary to U.S. law and the constitution
On Friday, Jan 27, Trump signed an executive order that effectively prohibits the entry into the United States of refugees and Muslim citizens of seven countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
The order affects approximately 25,000 people holding student and work visas.
Opposition to these actions has emerged from all sides.
Congratulations to all of those in local DSA chapters who have participated in the demonstrations at airports and immigration offices. Our next step is to increase our efforts and effectiveness by coordinating this work
This emergency is an important time to expand DSA’s new anti racism organizing initiatives.
DSA’s Anti-Racism Working Group has been preparing for this assault, and we invite you to join us in this urgent effort.
A steering committee of the ARWG has developed two projects and intends to develop more. Current projects include national committees on (1) Immigrant Rights and Solidarity and (2)Anti-Islamophobia/Police Brutality Subcommittee . Additional committees are in the planning stages.
Our volunteers have been telephoning local chapters to identify persons interested in working with these committees. The next step is a conference call scheduled for Feb.7 at 8 PM Eastern to develop teams of activists to engage this work and to coordinate with the ARWG. If you are working on these issues or interested in working on these issues, you should be on this call.
Our plan is to find DSA organizers willing to be leaders in their local areas and liaisons with the national effort on these two projects.
We have assembled important information and materials to assist groups in their local organizing. The national office has produced new graphics and signage for use in demonstrations. We encourage locals to plan and initiate their own actions such as establishing and activating an emergency response network. Team leaders are expected to stay in touch with the national team through the ARWG calls.
If you are not in an area with a DSA or YDS local, we encourage you to work directly with the committees of the ARWG.
Persons interested in working as a part of these teams should send an e mail to [email protected]. We will provide the details for participating in the conference call and gaining access to the materials currently available. We request your participation. We need volunteer participation to make this work.
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The Anti-Racism Working Group of DSA.
Jared Abbot, Demitrius Callins, Adam Cardo, Duane Campbell, Elizabeth Henderson, Javier Miranda, Maria Svart.
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