Framing Immigration

Yesterday Obama announced he is going to try to pass immigration reform next year.  Immigration has been a core issue for many of us for decades, and we know what to expect from anti-immigrant opponents.  They have a clear narrative with two main elements: law and order and the overwhelming of scarce resources.  In anticipation of the coming debate, some pro-immigration advocates and communications experts have attempted to developed a pro-immigrant narrative “designed to move hearts, minds, and policy.”  One of these advocates, The Opportunity Agenda, recently released a short framing memo on how groups might frame immigration issues. It’s worth reading the full memo but here’s the short version:

The Pro-Immigration Narrative has three main elements: (1) Workable Solutions; (2) Upholding Our Nation’s Values; and (3) Moving Forward Together. Each element can be expressed in different ways and with different, but related, messages and arguments:

1.) Workable Solutions. Americans are hungry for solutions when it comes to immigration, and they understand that punitive, anti-immigrant approaches are not realistic or workable. We can win by showing ourselves to be voices of solutions and can-do pragmatism. Messages without solutions are easily dismissed.

• We need to fix our broken immigration system, so people can get legal, contribute, and participate fully in American economy and society.
• We’re not going to round up and deport 12 million undocumented men, women, and children, so let’s focus on realistic solutions like creating a way for people to get legal and cracking down on employers that exploit or underpay their workers.
• Building border walls and raiding people’s homes and workplaces are just not realistic solutions. We need real solutions that will work to fix our broken system.

2.) Upholding Our Nation’s Values. The most prominent positive values behind the core narrative are fairness and accountability. Many progressive audiences also see freedom from exploitation as important. And many native-born Latinos and African Americans view equality as important, when it comes to how immigrants from different countries are treated.

• We need a system that protects all workers from exploitation and depressed wages and allows us to all rise together.
• Harsh policies that force people into the shadows are not consistent with our values. Some anti-immigrant forces want to ban undocumented immigrant families from renting apartments or sending their kids to school. These kinds of policies are unworkable and are not consistent with our values. We need to fix our system so that immigrants who came here to work, pay taxes, and learn English can become legal and contribute fully.
• Due process and fair treatment in the justice system are basic human rights, and respecting them is a crucial part of who we are as a nation. There is a lot of evidence that immigrants – both documented and undocumented – are being denied due process in this country. If anyone is denied that basic human right, we are all at risk.

3.) Moving Forward Together. These messages tap most Americans’ views that immigrants work hard and are already contributing to the economy in some ways.

• We need everyone’s contribution to get us out of the mess we’re in. To really fix the economy, we need to fix our immigration system to move towards eliminating the underground economy it perpetuates. By legalizing the undocumented workforce, we will bring these workers out of the shadows and put more workers and employers on our tax rolls.
• We need policies that allow everyone who lives here to work and participate in our society.