Memo to the Netroots on Immigration

Memo

TO: The Netroots

FROM: Elana Levin, The Drum Major Institute for Public Policy

DATE: December 4, 2007

RE: Immigration and the blogosphere

The problem: America's current immigration policy is clearly unacceptable to the general public, immigrant rights activists, immigration opponents and organized labor. Even corporations are dissatisfied with the status quo, even if for their own profit-driven reasons. There is a consensus that reform is needed but there is no consensus on what that reform should look like. At the same time, the status quo of maximum noise with minimum action is a political strategy for a certain segment of the organized right wing. The netroots can play a critical role on this issue by facilitating a conversation that will lead to increased political will for a progressive immigration policy that will benefit America's squeezed middle class and all those struggling to become middle class.

Many progressive and centrist politicians and political influencers have, until recently, chosen to either remain silent on the need for comprehensive immigration reform or confine their speech to statements supporting an increase in border control only. Local elections across the nation have shown that anti-immigrant demagogy does not win elections despite the public's concerns about the issue. Yet political leaders continue to advise progressives running for office to regard immigration policy as a "third rail" that should not be touched.

The current state of the debate on immigration policy is entirely unproductive and the relative silence of progressive movement voices has, and will continue, to contribute greatly to the lack of vision and unity on this issue. Treating immigration as a cause to support or attack for the sake of political expediency will not lead to an immigration policy that will strengthen and expand the middle class.

What is progressive immigration policy:

Responding to a vacuum in the immigration debate in 2005, the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy issued our report: Principals for an Immigration Policy to Strengthen and Expand America's Middle Class. In our report, we offer a framework for looking at immigration policy based on a shared economic interest in a progressive solution:

1) Immigrants make critical contributions to our economy as workers, entrepreneurs, taxpayers and consumers. Progressive immigration policy should bolster, not undermine, those contributions.

2) When immigrants lack rights in the workplace, labor standards can be driven down for everyone. Thus, progressive immigration policy must strengthen the workplace rights of immigrants and Americans.

Read the report's Executive Summary for arguments and citations supporting both parts of the litmus test. DMI has also issued talking points to translate the framework into conversation.

We have long argued that this debate cannot be resolved legislatively. It is a question of shaping hearts and minds. To do this, we need effective messengers, messengers who are powerful voices but who also have a real analysis of the immigration issue. For that reason, we urge the netroots to view our work and that of other experts in this field (see resources).

The Netroots on immigration so far:

Blue America, a PAC lead by FireDogLake, Down With Tyranny, Crooks and Liars and Digby, have launched an exciting campaign to hold Congressman Rahm Emanuel accountable for instructing DCCC candidates to regard immigration policy as a political "third-rail". Their work in concert with the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights could turn into a model of the kind of collaboration needed moving forward. By focusing on pro-migrant policy rather than the political ramifications of Rep. Emanuel's anti-migrant strategy, the netroots showed a potential to shape this policy debate if done properly.