Statement AGAINST by Sela L.
I am submitting a statement against this resolution because I don’t think it’s necessary. Your campaigns should figure out how to work together without needing to ask permission of the general body. This kind of resolution seems to come from the legislative side of Washington, where documentation in and of itself creates false legitimacy. I also worry that these kinds of resolutions can be intimidating to newer or less active members, as it presents the notion that this is what resolutions are made for. And I disagree with comrade Dina’s remarks at the General Body Meeting about the number of immigrants who are active members of the DSA. Similar to the false assumption that there are no black people in DSA, assuming there are no migrants who are dues-paying members speaks to a failure on our part to engage members of the chapter who have intimate experience with the migrant struggle and find creative ways to bring them to the fore.
Statement IN FAVOR by Joe R.
I support the amendment to the Aquí Estamos, Y No Nos Vamos! Resolution, and I encourage chapter members to do the same and vote FOR the Amendment.
Comrade Julian A bringing this resolution forward has already been beneficial for the chapter by generating an important conversation around migrant justice among the general body, as well as gathering member-leaders from various formations to discuss shared goals and begin collectively rowing our boats in the same direction. The amendment straightforwardly clarifies and builds on the base resolution, naming specific campaigns and networks the chapter can support and the role we intend to play. We have many members with significant personal experiences of various forms of migration, some of whom have been in leadership positions or otherwise very involved in the chapter, and we should feel confident in acknowledging that and engaging those members (if interested) when we join and support these campaigns and coalitions. Nevertheless, it is far from a majority of our membership and it makes sense for Metro DC DSA to build relationships with organizations whose membership and leadership are predominantly migrants, undocumented or otherwise. This moment calls for large numbers of people to stand up for our migrant neighbors, and we should do so proudly and publicly.