Families Belong Together protest, Chicago, 2018.
PHOTO / ADRIAN GARCIA
Migrants, immigrants and refugees surely see America as a bundle of contradictions. Our country, a beacon of hope for some, shows its most brutal face at the militarized border: shooting them with pepper balls, lining the border with deadly razor wire, separating families, detaining people in miserable conditions, abusing people with violence and sexual assault, denying people the right to claim asylum. Many people suffer and some die trying to cross the border, and then, those who do make it in are denied things like labor rights and social services (even though they pay taxes), and are endangered by the lies of grandstanding politicians. An especially ugly lie is one that tries to pit African Americans and immigrants against each other.
But, on the other hand millions of Americans are rejecting the lies, and thousands are stepping forward to aid newcomers in a variety of ways, including food, shelter, legal assistance and political advocacy, and welcoming the benefit of newcomers’ skills and ideas.
All of us suffer when our country mistreats immigrants, migrants and refugees. The militarization of the border, which extends 100 miles inland, restricts democracy for us all. Abusing immigrants and limiting their rights sets the stage for denying everyone’s rights.
As author David Bacon put it earlier this year, “Overcoming today’s increasingly reactionary and dangerous right-wing threat requires the unity of immigrants and nonimmigrants: each must fight for the other.”
Bob Lee is a professional journalist, writer and editor, and is co-editor of the People’s Tribune, serving as Managing Editor. He first started writing for and distributing the People’s Tribune in 1980, and joined the editorial board in 1987.
