Immigrant Solidarity Network

Mission Statement
As the Immigrant Solidarity Network we acknowledge that no human being is illegal. We also acknowledge that the root cause of discrimination against undocumented immigrants in the United States derives from a politics of racism, classism, and xenophobia. The policies that have come together to marginalize this community derive from a fundamental lack of information that is the result of an ideological war waged on the undocumented community by the ruling classes of this country, who benefit from the labeling of others as “illegal.” These politics manifest themselves most clearly in the systematic separation of families by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the rape and abuse suffered by detainees under the custody of private detention facilities, and overall human rights violations including unequal access to basic services, vulnerability in the workplace, and general interpersonal acts of discrimination in everyday life. The ISN has two main goals. First, we want to raise awareness and activity around these issues on the Hampshire College Campus. To do this, we will host weekly meetings with a political education component, host a weekly radio show featuring interviews with activist individuals, groups, and organizations in the Pioneer Valley area, host community-wide dialogues through various events such as screenings, and a panel event featuring local and national undocumented immigrant voices. Secondly, the ISN will continue to build our network of solidarity in the Pioneer Valley, focusing on our relationships with other immigrant rights groups in the 5 colleges and the surrounding community.