Support Open Borders
Affected Items & Short Rationale
R 73: Support for Open Borders
This resolution calls for DSA endorse open borders as a policy. This includes full demilitarization, the abolition of CBP and ICE, and the free movement of people. It also calls for the national organization and chapters to consider political candidates’ positions on open borders when making endorsements. It also calls on chapters to develop political education on the issue, to be done in coordination with the Immigrants’ Rights Working Group and the International Committee.
Why Is Build Endorsing R73?
Free and open borders are necessary for taking down the militarist, imperialist violence that’s used to enforce global capitalism.
So long as the borders remain militarized, and so long as ICE and CBP continue to exist, the wide-scale fascist attacks on the working class, and especially on workers of color, is going to become more and more violent and dangerous.
Frequently Asked Questions
Concern: Is it realistic to call for open borders? How do we go about making that happen?
Answer: The call to open borders is more than just rhetoric; this resolution also calls for the work of abolishing ICE, working to decriminalize immigration, amnesty for asylum seekers, and a pathway to citizenship for all non-citizen residents. It calls for concrete work against the carceral state and against white supremacist violence. This is work that can be taken on at both the local and national level.
Resolved text of R73:
Be it resolved that DSA supports the demand for open borders;
Be it resolved that DSA supports the uninhibited transnational free movement of people, the demilitarization of the US-Mexico border, the abolition of ICE and CPB without replacement, decriminalization of immigration, full amnesty for all asylum seekers and a pathway to citizenship for all non-citizen residents;
Be it resolved that DSA develops political education resources to be shared with chapters across the country to deepen and broaden the understanding of the demand for open borders and how to fight for it. These efforts shall be made in coordination between the national Immigrants’ Rights Working Group, the International Committee, and chapters and members across the country working on issues of immigration justice and internationalism;
Be it resolved that DSA recognizes and reflects our support for open borders in our evaluations and endorsement of political campaigns.