A leading immigration advocacy organization announced on Tuesday the formation of a new political arm to resist Donald Trump’s agenda and assist Democrats in proactively messaging on a topic that has long plagued the party.
Immigration Hub, a pro-immigrant nonprofit founded in 2017 in response to Trump’s first term, has announced plans to launch large political advertising campaigns to challenge the incoming president’s policy goals, which include a quick increase in deportations. The group’s political arm, Catalyze/Citizens, will also strive to broaden Immigration Hub’s reach by combating misinformation about immigration, including advocating for changes to a liability shield that allows platforms to broadcast content without being held accountable for it. The group’s plans were initially disclosed with AWN.
The nonprofit seeks to help Democrats reverse the trend on the contentious policy issue. As the party considers its 2024 loss, analysts point out that the party’s shift to a stronger position on migration this year was ultimately insufficient to counter years of GOP dominance on immigration: An study of AdImpact data from Catalyze/Citizen’s new “Right-Wing Playbook” found that Republicans outspent Democrats on broadcast commercials five to one.
“The past decade has marked a dangerous shift: the mainstreaming of authoritarian ideology and the systematic spread of anti-immigrant narratives,” stated Beatriz Lopez, co-executive director of Immigration Hub and Catalyze/Citizens. “Catalyze/Citizens emerged from a clear conviction — we need a robust response that matches, competes and wins against the extreme right’s anti-immigrant, anti-democratic narratives.”
Republicans were effective in framing immigration as a national concern this cycle, promoting misleading tales about immigrant crime, “invasions,” and President Joe Biden’s border policy. From January to October, Republicans spent $680.5 million on immigration-focused television advertising in 12 competitive presidential and Senate races, accounting for 84 percent of the total, according to the research.
Republicans’ advertisements focused on Vice President Kamala Harris’ job as “border czar” and criticized her for supporting President Joe Biden’s “open border” policy. These advertisements inundated the airwaves once Harris was promoted to the top of the ticket.
Trump has promised to conduct unprecedented deportations and to immediately reverse key Biden administration measures. Immigrant rights organizations have spent the past year planning for a second Trump administration and a major revamp of the country’s immigration system, researching Trump’s policies, producing legal filings, coordinating messaging, and arranging aid for immigrants and asylum seekers.
However, the latest initiative is one of the first political countermoves from the left, as proponents anticipate that immigration will be a top electoral issue in the midterm elections and again in 2028. Democrats are at a crossroads in the movement, attempting to nail down a narrative that opposes Trump’s agenda while simultaneously responding to people’ growing concerns about border security and the country’s dysfunctional immigration system.
The increasing politicization of the issue has harmed Democrats in Washington, who have failed to counter an assault of Republican accusations. It wasn’t until this year that the party came together around an attack line, blaming Trump for the failure of the bipartisan border agreement and advocating for common-sense solutions to the crisis. The plan was inspired by Rep. Tom Suozzi’s victory in a February special election in New York, when he ran on a platform of improving border security.
The next two years will be critical, as Democratic leaders attempt to reverse the damage. Immigration leaders on the left argue that the party must address voters’ worries about border security while also rejecting Trump’s “extreme” proposals, which they feel would ultimately alienate swing voters and moderates who prefer a balanced approach to the border.
“With the transition to a new administration that has pledged to reverse the progress made in recent years, we can expect far-reaching, inhumane, and long-lasting changes to America’s immigration system,” said Kerri Talbot, co-executive director of Immigration Hub.