Mobilizing African Americans for immigrant rights: Framing strategies in two multi-racial coalitions
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M o b i l i z i n g A f r i c a n Am e r i c a n s f o r i m m i g r a n t ri g h t s : F r a m i n g strategies in two multi-racial coalitions
Sylvia Zam or a a and Chinyere Osuji b a
University of Chicago, IL. Rutgers University-Camden, NJ.
b
Abstract Social movement framing is a critical element in bringing together heterogeneous groups as allies in common political struggle. Immigrant rights organizations, like other social movement groups, must construct framing strategies to mobilize potential adherents, including African Americans and other non-immigrant groups. Drawing on interview data with leaders and members of two Los Angeles grassroots multi-racial coalitions, this article examines the framing strategies and negotiations each makes as they attempt to increase Black participation in the immigrant rights movement. Findings indicate that organizers relied on two prominent rhetorical strategies: the “immigrant worker” frame centered on an immigrant work ethic, and a more encompassing social and racial “injustice” frame. Although both carried some appeal, we argue that African Americans’ perceptions of labor market competition with immigrants posed significant challenges to building sustainable coalitions. We further demonstrate how inaction and avoidance by activists inhibited potential Black participation in the movement. We conclude with some implications of our findings for the role of social movement frames in fostering new and effective alliances between African Americans and immigrants. Latino Studies (2014) 12, 424–448. doi:10.1057/lst.2014.47 Keywords: African Americans; immigrant rights; framing; social movements; multiracial coalitions; immigration
© 2014 Macmillan Publishers Ltd. 1476-3435 Latino Studies www.palgrave-journals.com/lst/
Vol. 12, 3, 424–448
Framing immigrant rights
A N ew Civil R ights Movement in t he Making In the spring of 2006, millions of immigrants and their allies across the nation took to the streets in what became one of the largest mass mobilizations in US history. Known as the Mega Marches, these protests were in direct opposition to HR 4437, the Sensenbrenner Bill, which had passed the House of Representatives months before (Narro et al, 2007; Gonzales, 2009). This bill would have turned undocumented migrants into felons and criminalize those who provide services to them. The magnitude and spirit of these marches evoked images of the 1964 Civil Rights Movement, but with one stark difference: the notable absence of African Americans. Drawing on similarities between the current fight for immigrant rights and the African American struggle for racial and economic equality, some activists have proclaimed that the immigrant rights movement is the “New Civil Rights Movement” (Johnson and Hing, 2007). It remains to be seen, however, whether social justice organizations will be successful in mobilizing African Americans into a large-scale multi-racial coalition for immigrant rights. Although Blacks and Latinos share certain commonalities including high incarceration rates
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