Clearing up the Confusion: Which Groups are Pro-Immigrant?

Below is a post from a great blog: citizenorange.com Recently the NYT posted that a virulent anti-immigrant group was "mainstream" -- this concerns me very much. C.O. has graciously sent us this link to help us differentiate each side (I wanted to say "the good guys from the bad guys" but we all know that is kind of immature, right?)

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Online Guerrilla Warfare
By kyledeb on December 5, 2007 1:34 PM
Let's play a game. Decipher the following acronyms and tell me which organizations are pro-migrant and which are anti-migrant: FIRM, FAIR, CCIR, CCIR, CIS, NILC.

Having trouble? How about if I write them out and link to them:

Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM), Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CCIR), California Coalition for Immigration Reform (CCIR), Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), National Immigration Law Center (NILC).

Still having trouble?
Imagine how the average U.S. citizen feels. Let me break it down. The pro-migrant organizations are: FIRM, CoalitionCIR, and NILC. The anti-migrant organizations are: FAIR, CaliforniaCIR, CIS. And I haven't even mentioned all of them

But, I will say that if it's an anti-migrant organization chances, are it's connected to the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) and it's founder John Tanton. A connection to FAIR and Tanton should be troubling to everyone considering several outright racist connections, like substantial support ($1.2 million) from the Pioneer Fund.

The vast majority of the time this confusion has benefited anti-migrant organizations. Despite questionable connections and motivations, anti-migrant organizations are frequently cited by the media. Some even claim to be "pro-immigrant":

NumbersUSA Action is pro-environment, pro-worker, pro-liberty and pro-immigrant

The Center [for Immigration Studies] is animated by a pro-immigrant, low-immigration vision which seeks fewer immigrants but a warmer welcome for those admitted.


If that isn't misinformation, I don't know what is. The point of this post isn't to highlight anti-migrant misinformation (although I'm having a lot of fun with it), but to highlight a new crop of pro-migrant online guerrilla warriors that are fighting back.

A new crop of pro-migrant blogs with tongue-in-cheek titles have debuted online. Migra Matters and Latino Politico have recognized the trend as well (I can't highlight Manny's pro-migrant blog round ups enough. They're amazing. Please go check them out). Blogs like Open Borders Lobby, Damn Mexicans, and Illegal is Illegal, have swelled the ranks of pro-migrant blogs out there. They've also inspired me to update the Citizen Orange blogroll and I feel comfortable in claiming the most pro-migrant blogroll on the net (try and beat me).

I do have to say, though, that my favorite pro-migrant guerilla is whoever started ALIPAC.net or American-Latino Immigrants Proudly Assisting the Community. It's in direct competition with the anti-migrant ALIPAC.us or the Americans for Legal Immigration Political Action Committee. Looks like the ALIPAC.us's patriotism got the best of them. They let the ALIPAC.net take the better domain name, and now they're right next to each other on a google search.

We don't have millions of dollars behind us but we're strong and we have justice on our side. I just want to welcome these new pro-migrant guerrillas to the fight for migrant emancipation. The other side is strong, but these tactics help draw from that power.

for link to CO's "Let's Play a Game" click the title of this post