Young people launch a campaign to welcome migrants to US and confront hate speech

The use and abuse of the Republican campaign’s anti-immigrant rhetoric has generated scenes of verbal and physical violence in several U.S. states. To combat this, young migrants from the United We Dream organization have launched a campaign that will place more than 35 billboards in five states to welcome new arrivals. “Immigrants are welcome here!”; “Everyone is older in Texas, even our love for immigrants”; “Anti-immigrant hate has no place in Ohio”, and “In Wisconsin we keep families together” are some of the messages they display.

“From Texas to Arizona to Ohio, our communities have seen a rise in violent anti-immigrant misinformation that has resulted in threats, violence, and policies that target anyone who is undocumented,” said Anabel Mendoza, communications director for United We Dream, the largest migrant youth organization in the country.

The posters will be visible in Arizona, Texas, Colorado, Wisconsin, and Ohio, in both English and Spanish. Other organizations participating in the initiative include the Arizona Center for Empowerment (ACE), Voces de la Frontera, and the Haitian Bridge Alliance.

“Immigrant youth refuse to be bystanders when the lives of our communities are at stake. These signs are a bold and unapologetic statement of the humanity of immigrants and a reminder that we have the power to care for one another, protect and welcome immigrants, and reject this hate, regardless of our status,” Mendoza said.

Anti-immigrant sentiment came to a head in the Ohio city of Springfield last month when more than 30 bomb threats were made at elementary schools and state and local government buildings, prompting lockdowns, the provision of extra police protection, and the installation of security cameras. The trigger was fake news spread by the Republican Party and its candidate, Donald Trump, who claimed during the September 10 presidential debate that Haitians in Springfield steal and eat the pets of American citizens.

As crazy as such a claim may sound, it has resonated with many Trump supporters, who, believing the fallacy of the threat they pose, have terrorized the city’s migrants. Haitian residents of Springfield have said they feared for their safety as the hoax grew among the population. Mayor Rob Rue has received death threats. The Haitian Bridge Alliance, a pro-Haitian group, has filed a lawsuit against Trump and his running mate, J .D. Vance, for inducing chaos by spreading false information. Adding to the lie about the of eating pets is the fact that Haitians in Springfield are not undocumented, as Trump claimed.

The 15,000 to 20,000 Haitian immigrants who have arrived in the city in recent years, in many cases after being recruited for local jobs, have been granted Temporary Protected Status to legally remain in the United States.

But the growing hostility towards migrants is not limited to the Ohio city. Migrants in several other states have experienced harassment and violence. “Just like in Springfield, lies are also being used as a weapon against immigrants in Wisconsin to spread misinformation, justify voter suppression tactics, and incite racial discrimination and violence,” denounces Christine Neumann-Ortiz, executive director of Voces de la Frontera.

Illegal immigration is one of the most-discussed issues in the electoral campaign and the Democratic candidate, Kamala Harris, has moved closer to the stance of Republicans, advocating a more restrictive policy against the arrival of migrants. President Joe Biden this week further tightened the asylum laws he approved in June.

It was established then that the border would close when 2,500 people were being processed by the Department of Homeland Security on average per day over seven days. Washington lowered the figure even further Monday: there will now have to be fewer than 1,500 apprehensions on average per day for 28 consecutive days. And now the federal government will include all children in that figure, whereas previously it only included migrant children from Mexico.

The measure reduced the number of illegal crossings by 59% and made July and August the months with the fewest detentions for trying to enter the United States since September 2020.

Arizona is one of the most common crossing points for migrants. Harris visited the area last Friday, where she met with U.S. Border Patrol agents and promised to crack down on illegal crossings, in line with polls showing public support for increased border security.

The newly launched campaign, however, seeks to empathize with migrants. “These billboards represent more than just words; they are a public statement that immigrants are welcome here and essential to Arizona today and to our collective future. Together, we will continue to exalt the truth, reject hate, and create a state where every individual, regardless of immigration status, can thrive,” says Cesar Fierros, Communications Director for the Arizona Center for Empowerment.

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