December 15, 2021
By Cristina Rodriguez, Fall 2021 Intern
Immigrant advocacy remains a continuous effort to promote humane immigration policy and the welfare of immigrants residing in the United States. Among these efforts often arises a particular rhetoric which serves to answer the question: Why should we advocate for the immigrant community? This question creates issues in the way we perceive immigrants and a depiction of the “deserving” immigrant. The manner in which immigrants have contributed and continue to contribute to the country’s economy has been a central argument for the rights of immigrants. However, I think that we must re-evaluate this narrative and begin to see all immigrants as “deserving.”
Take a moment to consider how we view a person’s worth. There are certain capitalist values which are embedded in our society. Capitalism is the economic system based on private ownership and business, with the goal of producing the greatest profit. It has also become by extension the prevailing social and political organization, and impacts our entire society. As a result, a person’s value is often tied to how much and what they produce, which can be exemplified through the lens of immigration.
“The Economic Benefits of Extending Permanent Legal Status to Unauthorized Immigrants” – The White House
“Immigration Facts: The Positive Economic Impact of Immigration” – FWD.us
“Benefits of Immigration Outweigh the Costs” – The Catalyst
Listed above are just a small sample of article and research titles surrounding immigration. In the view of such rhetoric, immigrants are valuable to this country because of what they produce. These works are a reflection of advocacy efforts which put forth the narrative of the immigrant’s contribution to the economy in order to justify their worthiness. While these arguments may not be ill-intentioned, they do put into question the human value we place on immigrants.
“Who else would be willing to do these jobs for us?” This is a line which can be heard when referring to immigrants who perform low-wage labor. Narratives such as this contributes to our outlook on individual worthiness and the way which we view labor. Such a question may imply that certain jobs are less than and does not seek for ultimate improvement in the livelihood of immigrants. Yes, it is important to acknowledge all of the work and contributions immigrants have provided. However, it is equally essential that we evaluate our intent and meaning behind these acknowledgements. Placing emphasis on their economic contributions may serve to place them in a category of economic commodities rather than human beings. It places pressure on immigrant communities themselves to have to in order to prove that they are indeed worthy of residing in this country. Therefore, how can we approach immigrant advocacy which centers their value as humans above all else?
It is important to be thoughtful of how our advocacy may affect others. Think, what do you hope to achieve through your efforts and what are the ethical implications? When it comes to seeking immigration reform, challenge the priorities given to labor and productivity. The only justification truly needed for the basic rights of others is their existence. We must therefore be conscientious of our narrative and our language. Consider using people-first platforms and language. For instance, one could use “people who are detained/people who arrive as refugees” to refer to those in ICE immigration detention and “non-citizen” as opposed to “alien.” Overall, we need to reconsider the ways immigrants are commonly framed. Instead of describing them in terms of their instrumental value, we should underline their intrinsic value as human beings first.
There are often ethical implications in the type of language and narratives we employ while advocating for others. Engaging in this form of reflection and challenging our existing perceptions is crucial to becoming a better advocate.