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 A Quarterly Assessment

Summer 2016

 ANTI-IMMIGRANT AND ANTI-MUSLIMTHREATS IN THE UNITED STATES

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 ANTI-IMMIGRANT AND ANTI-MUSLIM

THREATS IN THE UNITED STATES 

 A Quarterly Assessment

Summer 2016

Table of Contents

! Introduction 3

! Icon Key 4

!  Western Region 4

! Southern Region 6

! Midwest Region 7

! Eastern Region 8

! Moving to Action 9

! Looking Ahead 11

 

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Introduction

Organized racist movements in the U.S. have had an outsized influence on both stateand federal policies. These movements have also had a clear impact on the mainstreammedia narrative about immigrants, Muslims, and refugees.

Over the past year, inflammatory rhetoric in the presidential campaign has bolsterednativism in the media and in state legislatures. Organized anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim movements have not only profited from the nativist tide; they helped create theconditions that allowed this fear-mongering to flourish.

Nativist narratives and policies are more salient than ever in recent memory, and theprospect for moderation nationally remains slim. Nativist proposals targeting refugeeresettlement and so-called “sanctuary” immigration enforcement policies have beenintroduced in state legislatures across the country. Yet as many state legislative sessionshave ended, the window for passing additional nativist legislation has largely closed forthe year.

 Anti-immigrant forces have also supported litigation challenging President Obama’sexecutive actions to expand protection from deportation to parents of U.S. citizens, legalresidents, and others.

This threat assessment focuses on state and regional nativist activity tied to organizedracist movements. We do not attempt to describe all nativist activity nationally; that is beyond the scope of this report. The report includes, for instance, state legislationproposed by legislators with ties to the organized anti-Muslim movement or supported by the organized anti-immigrant movement. The assessment similarly includes non-legislative organizing and events supported by anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim, or anti-refugee leaders or groups.

 Within these bounds, we have prioritized legislation or activities that pose greaterthreats, and have seen serious nativist mobilization behind them. This assessment

covers nativist activity since the beginning of 2016.

 We created this assessment to be used as a resource for state and local organizationsand activists working with communities impacted by nativism, to provide informationabout existing nativist threats, and to serve as a warning about current trends inorganized hate in the political debate.

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Nativism is a racist, xenophobic ideology that supports attacking and excludingimmigrants and those thought to be foreign to the dominant culture. Nativism is based on the deep-seated belief, drawn from white supremacy, that the targetedoutsiders are racially, culturally, or religiously inferior.

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Icon Key

Outcome supporting rightsof immigrants, Muslims, Ongoing legislative activityand refugees

 Win for nativist movements Grassroots nativist organizing

Western Region

 Anti-immigrant hotspots Arizona andOregon have seen spikes in anti-

immigrant legislative activity.

In January, Arizona State Rep.Robert Thorpe traveled to Naco,

 Arizona, with Susan Tully,National Field Director for leading

anti-immigrant group Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR).Tully told local radio outlets the trip was

part of a “fact-finding” effort. Thorpesubsequently introduced two pieces ofnativist legislation: HB 2370, which seeksto prohibit state resources from beingused for refugee resettlement or forunaccompanied children apprehended atthe U.S-Mexico border; and HB 2201, which prohibits any state resources from being used for President Obama’sexecutive actions.

In May, the Arizona legislatureconsidered SB 1377, which woulddiscriminate against immigrants

 by mandating stricter sentencing on the basis of immigration status. The bill wasintroduced by State Sen. Steve Smith, who has long embraced anti-immigrantfervor as key to his legislative goals andhas gained endorsements from nativistfigures such as Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Thanksto strong grassroots mobilizing, the bill

 was narrowly defeated in the ArizonaHouse. This bodes well for the defeat ofnumerous other anti-immigrant bills thathave been introduced in Arizona in 2016.

In Oregon, anti-immigrant groupOregonians for ImmigrationReform (OFIR) has been actively

promoting nativist state policies.Following OFIR’s successful effort to passa measure prohibiting undocumented

Oregonians from accessing driver’slicenses in 2014, the group successfullyqualified three separate measures that, ifpassed, would mandate workplace use ofthe troubled federal E-Verify system foremployment eligibility verification, makeEnglish the state’s official language, andrequire proof-of-citizenship for all voter

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The Federation for AmericanImmigration Reform (FAIR) is widely considered a hate group because of its roots in whitenationalism and eugenics and its virulent and false attacks onimmigrants. FAIR’s work advancesdeeply racist immigrationenforcement legislation that malignscommunities of color—bothimmigrant and native-born.

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registration. According to OFIR’s website,the group has not raised enough moneyto pay signature gatherers to get theinitiatives on the ballot this year. Butthese issues are not going away; we fully

expect these policies to come back aslegislation or ballot measures.

 Anti-Muslim and anti-refugee groups

have seen some success in

Montana, and continue to organize.

In Montana, anti-Muslimactivists with ACT for Americahave been increasingly organizing

to urge elected officials to adopt anti-refugee measures. For example, lastmonth Flathead County Commissionersunanimously approved a letter to federalofficials explicitly opposing refugeeresettlement. The commissioners’ votecame two weeks after the Flathead

County’s ACT for America chapter hosteda meeting featuring anti-refugeepresentations from Don Barnett, of thenotorious anti-immigrant think tankCenter for Immigration Studies, and PaulNachman, a regular contributor to whitenationalist website VDARE.com.

In Montana, following the CountyCommissioners’ letter, theFlathead County ACT chapter is not

resting. In April, the group hosted anti-Muslim activist Elisabeth Sabaditsch- Wolff’s during her recent tour of the U.S.

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Oregonians for ImmigrationReform (OFIR) is the Oregon statecontact group of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, andmaintains strong connections withthe organized anti-immigrantmovement nationally. OFIR is

responsible for advancing the 2014 ballot measure that overturnedlegislation to grant undocumentedimmigrants access to driver'slicenses.

 ACT for America is the largest, andarguably most influential, anti-Muslim grassroots organization in theUnited States. ACT claims more than279,000 members and over 800 U.S.

chapters, along with a handful ofinternational chapters. Led byBrigitte Gabriel, the group organizesefforts to lobby legislators, to pushanti-Shariah laws, and to influencelocal law enforcement and nationalsecurity agencies.

Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff is a

prominent Austrian anti-Muslimactivist who has visited the U.S.several times. In 2011, Wolff wasconvicted of hate speech forcomments about Muhammad andIslam delivered at a 2009 AustrianFreedom Party seminar. In theUnited States, anti-Muslim groupshave embraced Wolff and her case asa symbol of courage standing upagainst perceived scourge of Islam.

 Wolff has previously been a keynotespeaker at ACT for America’s nationalconference and in Spring 2016 spokeat anti-Muslim events in severalstates including Texas and Montana.

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Southern Region

Nativist leaders have unsuccessfully

pushed for anti-immigrant measures

in Georgia and Louisiana.

In Georgia, noted anti-immigrant activist D.A. King

continues to work with State Sen.Josh McKoon towards eliminating DACA beneficiaries’ access to driver’s licenses.The nativist duo’s efforts passed in theGeorgia Senate, but were not approved bythe House before the legislative sessionended. King and McKoon were also

unable to pass a resolution that wouldplace a ballot question on November’s ballot to make English the state’s officiallanguage.

In Louisiana, legislation toharshly punish jurisdictions withso-called sanctuary city policies

has likely failed. These policiesensure that immigrants’ constitutionalrights are respected when interacting with the police, and can help preventunjust deportations. In April, nativist

leader and Kansas Secretary of State KrisKobach visited Louisiana to testify in

support of the legislation. He relied onthe common anti-immigrant strategy ofdisparaging immigrants as criminals tosupport his position.

The south has seen significant anti-

Muslim activity, particularly in

Tennessee.

In Tennessee, lawmakersapproved a resolution to allow the

legislature to sue the federalgovernment over refugee resettlement.The Thomas More Law Center ispreparing this lawsuit and has offered torepresent the lawmakers free of charge.

In addition to the litigation effort,lawmakers have also worked tospread anti-Muslim sentiment in

Tennessee. Recently, Rep. Sue Lynndistributed anti-Muslim DVDs to hercolleagues in the legislature on behalf ofNashville anti-Muslim activist Louie E.Johnston Jr. describing mosques as “warfactories.” Lynn has sponsored multipleanti-Muslim bills during her time inoffice including efforts to designate so-called “no-go zones” in the state.

In Texas, a chapter of anti-Muslimgrassroots group ACT for America

in San Antonio hosted Austriananti-Muslim activist ElisabethSabaditsch-Wolff in May 2016.Sabaditsch-Wolff also intended to speakto the Houston chapter of ACT for America. She canceled that appearance because of flooding, but published a blogpost promising to return soon.

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Donald Arthur “D.A.” King isthe founder and leader of theGeorgia-based Dustin InmanSociety. King has described theUnited States as a country “being

invaded and colonized,” and its“way of life” destroyed with the“Hispandering” of his state. Kinghas long-standing ties to the whitenationalist website vdare.com,though he has strategicallydistanced himself from the site tofacilitate his entree intomainstream media.

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South Carolina is home to some of

the most active anti-refugee

organizing and one of the most

extremist pieces of anti-refugee

legislation in the south.

In the South Carolina Senate,anti-Muslim Sen. Lee Brightintroduced a bill that would create

a state-run registry for resettledrefugees. The proposal would holdagencies that resettle refugees financiallyliable if a refugee they assist commits acrime. The bill was passed by the SouthCarolina Senate and introduced in theHouse, where it passed the Constitutional

Law Subcommittee of the South CarolinaHouse Judiciary Committee (withoutrecommendation) on May 5, 2016. The

next step for the bill would be to come before the full House JudiciaryCommittee, but as the legislative sessionis ending soon, immigrant rightsadvocates have reason to hope that the

 bill is dead for now.

 At the grassroots level, anti-Muslimand anti-refugee sentiment has

 been steadily rising in SouthCarolina. Activists in Spartanburg, S.C.,held an anti-refugee panel discussionfeaturing lawmakers like Sen. Bright andnoted anti-immigrant speaker MichaelCutler. In February, South Carolina TeaParty activist and attorney Lauren Martel

filed a lawsuit against Gov. Nikki Haleyand several resettlement agencies to haltresettlement in the state. 

Midwest Region

Wisconsin communities have

successfully countered anti-

immigrant organizing in their state.

In Wisconsin, members of theHouse approved a measuretargeting so-called sanctuary

cities. The measure would have cutfunding for jurisdictions that protectimmigrants from local policecollaboration with federal immigrationenforcement, putting undocumented victims of crimes at risk, leading to unjust

deportations, further underminingimmigrant community trust in police, andmore. The vote triggered a groundswell ofopposition to the harmful legislation and,despite efforts by groups like FAIR tomobilize support for the bill, members ofthe Wisconsin Senate refused to considerthe bill.

 Anti-refugee and anti-immigrant

forces have mobilized in Kansas and

Indiana, sometimes leaning on anti-Muslim allies for support.

In Kansas, reliably anti-MuslimRep. Peggy Mast has introducedlegislation that would allow local

communities to refuse resettlementof refugees if they are unable to providecertain resources. Mast has claimed sheintroduced the bill after consulting withChristopher Holton, of the anti-Muslim

think tank Center for Security Policy.Holton also testified before the KansasHouse Federal and State AffairsCommittee in February and hasconferenced with lawmakers who haveintroduced similar legislation in otherstates.

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Nativist, far-right activists on theground in Wichita havesupplemented the anti-Muslim

sentiment fomenting in the Kansas statehouse. The most notable instance

came in March when activists associated with the far-right “three percenter”movement threatened an event at theIslamic Society of Wichita with armedprotests. The group threatening theprotests calls themselves Kansas SecurityForces. Ultimately, Islamic Centerorganizers canceled the event.

The Indiana Senate selectcommittee on immigration invitedtwo representatives from an anti-

immigrant extremist group to speak before the committee in April. The group,

the Immigration Reform Law Institute(IRLI), serves as the legal arm of the widely recognized hate group Federationfor American Immigration Reform(FAIR). The committee heard from IRLIcounsel and Kansas Secretary of StateKris Kobach,who has championed voterdisenfranchisement measures, and IRLICEO Dale Wilcox, who previously workedfor FAIR. Kobach recommended well-known nativist policies such as

mandating use of a flawed employment verification system and requiring proof ofcitizenship for voter registration, a policythat has disenfranchised thousands ofKansas voters.

Eastern Region

 Anti-immigrant leaders dominatednativist activity in the eastern region.

Despite efforts by FAIR, Virginia Gov. Terry McCauliffe chose to

 veto an anti-sanctuary measurelawmakers sent to him. In a statementannouncing he would veto the bill,McCauliffe said, “Rather than stokingirrational fears of non-citizens present inthe Commonwealth, the General

 Assembly should be focused onsubstantive policies to improve publicsafety in Virginia. House Bill 481 makesno one safer and inappropriatelystigmatizes many of those who are caughtup in a broken immigration system.”

On June 22-23, FAIR will hold itsannual “Hold Their Feet to the

Fire” media and citizen lobbyingevent in Washington, DC. In March,FAIR announced that this year'sinstallment "is timed to fall between theprimary elections and the partyconventions, and at about the time theSupreme Court is expected to rule on theconstitutionality of President Obama'sexecutive orders on the issue." In

addition to over three dozen conservativeradio personalities, attendees are likely toincludes members of Congress and lawenforcement officials who have alignedthemselves with the organized anti-immigrant movement.

 

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If your state or community is encountering threats from organized nativist groups, thereare multiple ways to push back and take action to create a more just and inclusive

society.

Learn about your opposition.

It’s hard to defeat nativist opponents if you don’t know exactly who they are and whatthey want.

The Center for New Community (CNC) provides resources on organized nativist groupsand leaders, including briefing materials on the organized anti-immigrant movement,the organized anti-Muslim movement, and the convergence of these movements toattack refugee rights and refugee resettlement.

These resources can help you determine how best to anticipate your opposition, exposetheir racist motives, and promote your own narrative.

Identify upcoming threats.

Identifying specific nativist threats is key to creating opportunities to push back. Whennativists show up publicly in your state or community, you have the chance to draw aclear distinction between their values: racism, xenophobia, and hate—and a vision of ourshared future that promotes opportunity, fairness, inclusion, and justice.

CNC publishes a blog, imagine2050.org, that exposes not just anti-immigrant, anti-refugee, and anti-Muslim groups and leaders themselves, but the regular events,research, media appearances, and other activities they rely on to promote theirextremist ideas. CNC also maintains a regularly updated map that tracks eventsorganized by nativist groups, speeches from nativist leaders, and more. We similarlypublish a weekly series called There Goes the Neighborhood, which previews upcomingnativist events.

Use the media.

Organized nativist movements have cultivated an incredible level of access tomainstream media, not to mention their prominence in right-wing media outlets. Ourmovements can have a powerful effect when we push back directly. CNC has developed aguide to easily writing effective letters to the editor any time one of the leading anti-immigrant spokespersons is quoted in a national or local publication.

 A Guide to Challenging Anti-Immigrant Leaders in the Media

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Moving to Action

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If you’re interested in more extensive media work, we offer oppositional messagingtrainings on how to effectively get your point across in the face of nativist opposition.

Get trained.

CNC offers webinars and in-person trainings on anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim, and anti-refugee movements nationally and in specific regions. These trainings identify theleaders, goals, strategies, and resources of organized nativist movements, and caninclude specifics from your state or city.

CNC regularly offers oppositional messaging webinars for anyone who does media work.The training provides a framework for analyzing your opposition’s messages andpreparing an effective strategy to expose your opposition and pivot back to your primarynarrative.

If you have a group interested in doing one or both of these trainings together, contact

us about scheduling a web-based or in-person training.

Shape and promote your own narrative.

Nativist activists don’t only promote harmful policies; they also take up too much space.They play off of the fear and anxiety many people feel, and they appeal to lawmakersand journalists to make their ideas mainstream. Negative stereotypes and suspicion ofimmigrants and Muslims become the norm if left unchallenged.

Craft a narrative that moves beyond debunking stereotypes and instead demonstrates your values and expresses the urgent need for action. Tell a story that shows why anti-

immigrant and anti-Muslim policies would harm you, your community, and the broadersociety. Focus on the impact of these extremist policies, and use this moment to also callout the nativist extremism at the heart of these proposals. Practice telling your story to your friends, family members, and colleagues, and refine it as you go. As part of your broader strategy, share this story with lawmakers, journalists, allies you want tomobilize, and the community that stands with you.

 Your story—your individual and collective lived experience—has the power to moveothers.

Mobilize your community and allies.

It’s important to move quickly against nativist policy proposals or a racistdemonstration to learn who is behind the attack and shape the narrative. For this tohappen, it is crucial to prepare, practice, and build a team. As you develop yourcampaign—whether it is for or against a proposed policy—take the time to make sure your community and allies are prepared.

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First, center the leadership and stories of those most impacted by the xenophobicproposals. It is important to focus on the impact of harmful policies and rhetoric, so it iscritical that targeted individuals and communities set the agenda and tell their ownstories.

 A relatively small group of lawmakers is responsible for introducing bills that restrictrights for immigrants, Muslims, and refugees. These lawmakers are often the samepeople who sponsor and support bills that harm other marginalized communitiesincluding workers, disenfranchised voters, LGBTQ individuals, and women seekingreproductive justice. Build relationships with activists and organizations working onthese issues to lay the foundation for a broader movement that acknowledgesintersections and cultivates meaningful solidarity.

 We don’t have to wait for harmful bills to be proposed or for violent demonstrations tohappen to take action. We can prepare by doing the research, practicing our narrative,

and building relationships with allies, media, and lawmakers. Whether we are launchinga campaign for inclusive and just policies, or if the opposition strikes first, we will beready when the moment comes.

Nationally, we expect opposition to refugee resettlement and support for harsherimmigration enforcement to continue to be priorities for nativist movements. Indeed, we’ve seen such legislative efforts occur throughout the country, and national nativistgroups will likely continue pushing such measures at all levels of government.

This summer also sees the Republican and Democratic parties holding their conventionsin Cleveland and Philadelphia, respectively. While Republicans are expected to

nominate Donald Trump, the bigoted real estate mogul will not be the only knownnativist presence. Kris Kobach, Kansas Secretary of State and the legal mind behindnumerous anti-immigrant and voter suppression efforts, will attend the convention as well. In 2012, Kobach proposed a plank to the party’s platform supporting conspiratorialanti-Shariah legislation known as American Laws for American Courts. Leading anti-Muslim conspiracy theorist Frank Gaffney lauded Kobach for his efforts. In an election year, where nativist policies have been increasingly salient, similar nativist proposals will likely be introduced in Cleveland by both Kobach and others.

 Vigilance will also required at the Democratic convention, as nativist rhetoric andpolicies have influenced Democratic positions at the highest levels. For example,

President Obama has overseen a record number of deportations during his time inoffice, and Secretary Clinton has called for denying safe haven to children fleeing violence in Central America.

In the interim, nativist groups will continue promoting these policies at the grassrootslevel as well with events featuring spokespeople from leading nativist organizations andspeakers from abroad.

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Looking Ahead

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The Center for New Community will continue to monitor all of these and nativist activityacross the country. CNC maintains an interactive map as well as a weekly blog series,There Goes the Neighborhood, published every Friday, that previews the upcoming week’s nativist events. If you hear of nativist events in your area, please let us know so we can add them to the map.

For more information, please visit CNC’s blog, Imagine 2050, as well as its Facebookand Twitter pages.

© Center for New Community 2016newcomm.orgimagine2050.org

Icon creditPhoto credit (Source: Dawn Paley, via Flickr. Modifications made. Licensed underCreative Commons.)

 

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