NJ Proposal to ICE Resisting Organizations and Individuals: Begin Regular Mobilizations Convening in Frequent Target Cities – Stepping Toward General Strike?
The NJ immigrant support groups have done a tremendous job at responding to ICE terror in NJ. They have thwarted 100s of kidnappings through their legal support activities. There is coverage for the entire state by the groups.
That said – the fact is also that NJ is inundated with ICE terror and it is escalating. While every county currently has coverage – there is not complete inundation of street coverage and it is near impossible to cover the vast areas of NJ. The response networks need to continue to be organized, with new trainings that are occurring regularly, and supported through donations of funds and resources. The main improvement needed to the Response Networks is for more of us to step forward as volunteers and to provide resources.
This proposal is not suggesting any change to how they are organizing successfully. However we seek the feedback of the teams as to whether this idea makes sense.
Specifically should we have regularly scheduled mobilizations in cities being extremely targeted by ICE – perhaps weekly at first and moving toward greater frequency – even daily eventually. The idea is to pick a convening spot that is public and a regular convening area for political protest in the targeted cities and call an initial mobilization – at which the proposal for a more consistent going forward presence with hopefully some presentation by the response teams about how our mobilizations can benefit the work. We would move forward through the process assuming success with greater participation and eventually increased frequency.
In effect the Response networks are already maintaining a consistent presence in the streets – this effort would hopefully invite to coordinate by and with the Response networks. Hopefully these mobilizations would also allow recruitment to grow the Rapid Response teams.
As there is an ever call for “General Strike” as a response to the terror and abuses we face – these mobilizations would be baby steps creating our capacity to actually carry out such a statewide general strike or carry NJ in support of a national general strike. This editor has always supported the idea of a “general strike” but does not believe that you can just “call it” to make it happen – you have to build capacity toward it and regular mobilizations that are well organized – that is a building block toward a general strike!
Readers are urged to open up this article linked here and get in connection to which ever response team is closest to them geographically and plug in.
PROPOSAL: REGULAR MOBILIZATIONS IN CITIES FACING ICE TERROR ESCALATION
On January 31 Seth Kaper-Dale put a call out on Facebook for folks to come to New Brunswick because ICE was all over the place there. Such a call suggests that it mighe be helpful if we started designating in cities with major ICE targeting that we convene mobilization maybe for starters, one day a week at 10 am at designated conveining sites. It would be necessary to staff those sites with 2 – 3 people minimally for those times. If there is a turn out the staffing can be used to bolster support work to the response teams – organize training – distribute ICE warning signs and generally participate in support efforts.
While initially we can try a test of concept. If successful we can move toward weekly and if need be daily support mobilizations.
If you are interested in potentially participating and coordinating at least an initial test of concept – please fill out the form and designate what city / town you might want to help coordinate – and possibly provide suggested logistics for such an event in the said city or town.
