RISC’s Statement on the 2024 Election Results

Supporters of President-elect Trump supporting mass deportation of immigrants

RISC is dismayed by the election of Donald Trump, who has a history of making hateful remarks about immigrants and enacting policies detrimental to their safety and wellbeing. Under his administration, immigrants will be living in even more fear and will face heightened racism, xenophobia, and negative stereotypes. Trump's campaign has focused on fearmongering about immigrants and using them as a scapegoat for the problems people in this country face. He blames them for taking away jobs, committing crimes, and using up resources. In reality, immigrants are hardworking people who fill essential jobs that Americans won't, are statistically less likely commit crimes than non-immigrants, and contribute hundreds of billions of dollars in taxes every year.

Trump also plans to use the military to carry out the largest deportation of immigrants in U.S. history, starting on day 1. This would take an enormous humanitarian toll and be devastating for the immigrant communities targeted by it, not to mention the often deadly situations in migrants' home countries. He has also threatened to end humanitarian parole, institute an asylum ban, end birthright citizenship, and ban refugees from Palestine and other Muslim-majority countries. Trump's first term set a dangerous precedent for immigrants. We all remember his Muslim ban, family separation policy, and mistreatment of immigrant children. He also spread hateful rhetoric about immigrants. The normalization of this rhetoric is dangerous and will serve to stoke hatred against immigrant communities. We must come together and stand with immigrants.

The next presidency's implications for immigrants will be felt locally. We anticipate that state & local officials will gladly cooperate with federal agencies to enforce Trump's policies against immigrants. These efforts will likely target the Latino population in Virginia Beach and Norfolk, some of whom are undocumented or asylum seekers. Local resistance will be vital to protect these vulnerable communities.

RISC does not endorse candidates and rejects the politicization of immigrant rights by anti-immigrant politicians; this issue is a matter of human rights.

We will not be deterred by the setbacks the next presidency will bring. We remain committed to fighting for justice, and we recognize that now more than ever it is critical that we all step up our efforts to defend our immigrant neighbors. Please stay tuned for calls to action, events, & other ways to get involved at a time when immigrants are under attack.