Leadership by the Illinois Chapter Results in Landmark Resolution: Moving to Unite Immigrant Rights with Climate Action Now

By Connie Schmidt

In late summer, the Il Chapter Executive Committee voted to present a resolution at the National Council of Club Leaders regarding the Sierra Club’s responsibility to support migrants against the inhumane treatment happening at our boarders and in our cities. In September the following was presented and voted with overwhelming support at the Council:

(l-r) Jack Darren, Illinois Chapter Director, Christine Williamson,
Chicago Group Chair, and Tony Fuller, Sierra Club Board of Directors

"The Council of Club Leaders requests that the Board of Directors, recognizing the critical intersections between climate and migration issues, endorse policies that support respect, dignity, and liberation for migrants, including: abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), decriminalizing migration, reuniting all separated families, and halting the deportation of people not convicted of violent crimes."

Initially, the idea of abolishing ICE appeared quite radical, but as we discussed it over conference calls, Chapter members learned that ICE was only recently established during the Bush administration as a response to 9/11. Prior to ICE, the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), a branch of the US Department of Justice, handled Immigration issues. The Department of Homeland security was created as a response to the 9/11 attacks, and one of its three branches is ICE (Immigration Customs Enforcement). The leadership of the Illinois Chapter of Sierra Club feels that ICE is a radical response to the fear and terror created from 9/11 and now creates havoc where previous systems worked appropriately.

The resolution goes on to explain:

"The Sierra Club supports respect, dignity, and liberation for all people.

"Yet our country, our movement, and our organization have a checkered history when it comes to practicing these fundamental values. Our Club has come close to officially adopting explicitly anti-immigration positions more than once.

"Today we seek to learn from these mistakes. We seek to listen more attentively to communities on the front lines of environmental harm, to make our Club more inclusive and welcoming to all people, and to stand with people and organizations whose values align with our own.

"We do this both because it is morally right and because to make the changes we seek will require more people and more power than our movement alone. We must stand with our allies if we want them to stand with us.

"This intersects directly with our work. Our efforts to stop the causes of climate change must also grapple with its effects, and agricultural collapse fueled by climate change is a major driver of migration from Central America.

"The mistreatment of migrants is a humanitarian crisis and a threat to our democracy. Our values demand we actively oppose it. Inaction is tacit approval and complicity."

Now that the Council of club leaders has approved this resolution, it has been sent to the National Board of Directors, who will consider it as well. I hope you will join with me in the feeling of pride for this amazing statement regarding our social responsibility as we work to protect the planet and all her inhabitants.