Episode 8

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Published on:

25th Apr 2025

The Top 5 Misleading Statements Shaping the Immigration Debate

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If this concerns you, take action with those in this situation showing courage. Here's how you can make sure your elected officials and the public hear from you — and can't say they didn't know. 


📧 Email Template 

Subject: Uphold Truth and Justice in Immigration Policy

Email Body:

Dear [Representative/Senator],

I am writing to urge you to bring honesty, clarity, and constitutional accountability back into the conversation around immigration.

Today’s immigration system faces real challenges, but too often, the public narrative about it is distorted. Legal distinctions are collapsed, fear is stoked, and language is used to criminalize rather than explain. This confusion doesn’t just reflect complexity—it deepens dysfunction and enables injustice.

Asylum seekers are not criminals. Crossing the border to seek protection is a legal right under both U.S. and international law. Yet too often, those exercising that right are reduced to soundbites like "illegal immigrants," erasing both the truth of their situation and the protections they are owed.

Similarly, accusations of gang or terror affiliations are frequently repeated without trials or judicial review. Due process is not optional. It is the very foundation of the rule of law that you swore to uphold.

The United States cannot allow fear-based slogans to replace fact-based governance. When leaders say that the president will “do what is necessary,” they imply that executive will alone is enough to override constitutional protections. That is not how our democracy works. Oversight is not optional; it is your duty.

I urge you to reject language that criminalizes presence, resist narratives that conflate humanitarian crises with criminal threats, and defend the legal standards that protect everyone’s rights.

Words shape policy. Policy shapes lives. Please use your platform to correct misinformation, uphold due process, and demand that our immigration policies reflect both truth and human dignity.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

☎️ Phone Script

Hello, my name is [Your Name], and I’m a constituent from [Your City or Zip Code].

I’m calling to urge [Representative/Senator] [Last Name] to stand up for truth, constitutional protections, and human dignity in our immigration system.

Right now, too many public conversations around immigration are misleading the public. Legal asylum seekers are being called "illegals." Accusations are being repeated without evidence or trial. Language that conflates humanitarian protection with criminal threats is creating fear, not solutions.

Crossing the border to seek asylum is a legal right. Immigration status issues are civil, not criminal. And due process is a constitutional guarantee—not something we can suspend based on slogans about security.

I ask [Representative/Senator] [Last Name] to reject the politics of fear, to defend precise and truthful language, and to demand accountability from all branches of government. Our immigration policies must reflect the truth, the law, and basic human rights.

Thank you for your time, and I look forward to seeing [his/her/their] leadership on this issue.

 

📣 Sample Social Media Post 

🚨It’s not just the immigration system that’s broken—it’s also the way we talk about it. Elected officials conflate different policies, intermingle criminality with legality, stoking fear and confusion instead of offering real solutions. We must demand better. #ImmigrationRights #OnTyranny

https://player.captivate.fm/episode/9d72be2f-8d03-42b9-9b5c-d1d2f90f0ec9/


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Sources:

  • U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, "Asylum," https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/refugees-and-asylum/asylum, accessed April 24, 2025.
  • Light, Michael T., and Ty Miller. "Does Undocumented Immigration Increase Violent Crime?" Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 117, no. 51, 2020, pp. 32340–32347. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1915379117.
  • Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State, "Chinese Immigration and the Chinese Exclusion Acts," https://history.state.gov/milestones/1866-1898/chinese-immigration, accessed April 24, 2025.
  • National Archives, "Japanese Relocation During World War II," https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/japanese-relocation, accessed April 24, 2025.
  • Congress.gov, "Refugee Act of 1980," https://www.congress.gov/bill/96th-congress/house-bill/2816, accessed April 24, 2025.


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About the Podcast

Bigger Than Me Democracy Project
Where headlines meet history—and we stand united.
Bigger Than Me is a rapid-response audio blog from the Bigger Than Me Democracy Project.

Hosted by Bonnie Ross, this blog helps listeners make sense of the moments that don’t just make news — they challenge democratic norms. Each episode breaks down what happened, why it matters, and how it fits into the authoritarian playbook described in On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder.

Here are the 20 lessons we return to again and again:
1. Do not obey in advance.
Authoritarianism thrives when people preemptively conform. Refuse to teach power what it can get away with.

2. Defend institutions.
Institutions don’t protect themselves. Pick one you care about — a court, a library, a newsroom — and take its side.

3. Beware the one-party state.
Support multiparty democracy and fair elections while you still can. Vote in every election. Consider running for office.

4. Take responsibility for the face of the world.
Symbols matter. Hate spreads when we get used to seeing it. Don’t look away. Don’t let it stand.

5. Remember professional ethics.
When leaders set bad examples, ethical commitments matter more. Rule of law needs defenders in every field.

6. Be wary of paramilitaries.
When the men with guns claim to protect the nation, watch who they march with. The merging of unofficial militias and official forces signals real danger.

7. Be reflective if you must be armed.
If you serve in uniform, be ready to say no when something isn't right.

8. Stand out.
The moment you do, others will follow. Nothing breaks the spell of the status quo like someone brave enough to go first.

9. Be kind to our language.
Avoid political clichés and empty slogans. Speak clearly. Read deeply. Think for yourself.

10. Believe in truth.
If nothing is true, power wins. Reality matters. Truth is the foundation of freedom.

11. Investigate.
Don’t just consume headlines. Subscribe to trustworthy journalism. Learn how propaganda works.

12. Make eye contact and small talk.
It’s more than polite — it’s civic glue. In times of fear and distrust, human connection is resistance.

13. Practice corporeal politics.
Get off the screen. Show up in person. Join others in physical, public acts of civic life.

14. Establish a private life.
Protect your digital life. Keep some conversations offline. Tyrants exploit what they learn about you.

15. Contribute to good causes.
Support organizations that reflect your values. Help sustain civil society with your time and money.

16. Learn from peers in other countries.
Authoritarianism is a global trend. Stay connected beyond borders. Have a passport. Use it.

17. Listen for dangerous words.
“Emergency.” “Terrorism.” “Extremism.” Authoritarians exploit these words to justify taking power.

18. Be calm when the unthinkable arrives.
Crises are used to break democracy. Don’t trade freedom for false promises of safety.

19. Be a patriot.
Model the kind of America you want future generations to inherit.

20. Be as courageous as you can.
No one wants to be a hero. But if we’re not willing to risk for freedom, we all risk losing it.

About your host

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Bonnie Ross