by Movimiento Estudiantil Chican@ de Aztlán (MEChA) de Stanford
Image courtesy of artist Favianna Rodriguez
We, the members of the Movimiento Estudiantil Chican@ de Aztlán (MEChA) chapter at Stanford University and the undersigned, are outraged by the actions of the Young Conservatives of Texas (YCT) chapter at the University of Texas. Their formerly planned mock immigration sting colloquially known as the “Catch an [Undocumented] Immigrant” event is an affront to those whose lives are negatively affected by current immigration policy through the forcible separation of families, interruption of education, exploitation in the workplace, and more.
We support the University of Texas’ Vice President for Diversity and Community Engagement Gregory Vincent in his quick disavowal of the event: “Once again in trying to be provocative, the YCT is contributing to an environment of exclusion and disrespect among our students, faculty and staff by sending the message that certain students do not belong on our campus.”
The YCT stated their intention as trying to “spark a campus-wide discussion about the issue of illegal immigration and how it affects our everyday lives.” However, this motive is undermined by their trivialization of the experiences of undocumented immigrants. Their platform is violent in nature and prevents productive, balanced discussions of issues related to immigration policy in the United States.
Furthermore, the YCT’s use of the word “illegal” dehumanizes those undocumented persons who currently reside in the United States. As stated by the Drop The I-Word campaign: “The racially charged slur and related terms confuse the immigration debate [and] fuel violence.” No human being, regardless of characteristics, should ever be referred to as “illegal”.
It is important to consider that this event does not exist in isolation. The YCT chapter at the University of Texas has held other events such as an affirmative action bake sale, a mock U.S.-Mexico border crossing, and a graphic protest against the Affordable Care Act. These events are reflective of a larger attitude of discrimination against undocumented people, people of color, and oppressed and marginalized communities. We encourage readers to engage in productive dialogue and action about these issues within their communities and challenge the violence perpetuated by these types of events.
Signed,
Movimiento Estudiantil Chican@ de Aztlán (MEChA) de Stanford
Appetite for Change
ASSU Community Action Board
Pilipino American Student Union (PASU)
Stanford American Indian Organization (SAIO)
Stanford Asian American Activism Committee (SAAAC)
Stanford Black Student Union (BSU)
Stanford’s First-Gen and/or Low-Income Partnership (FLIP)
Stanford Democrats
Stanford Labor Action Coalition (SLAC)
Stanford NAACP
Stanford Says No To War (SSNW)
Stanford STATIC
Stanford Students for Queer Liberation (SSQL)
Students for Palestinian Equal Rights (SPER)
Students for Reproductive Justice (SRJ)
Individuals or student groups interested in signing on to this statement of solidarity or being involved in next steps please contact MEChA Co-Chairs Daniela Parra (dparra@stanford.edu) or Oscar Carvente (carvente@stanford.edu).
