New Effort by Top Advocacy Group Aims to Combat Anti-immigration Narratives in Upcoming Trump Admin

Just two weeks after the November 5 elections, more than 150 migrant advocacy groups sent a letter to President Joe Biden and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, urging them to reduce the number of immigration detention centers run by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as the prospect of mass deportations and strict immigration policies by president-elect Donald Trump looms.

Among the signees was Immigration Hub, an organization who's mission, according to its website, is "to advance policy solutions for millions of aspiring citizens by conducting educational initiatives, fostering public awareness, and building collaborative partnerships to address immigration issues."

Established in 2017, on the heels of Trump's first administration, it now seems that Immigration Hub has decided to go one step further as it has announced the creation of a new political arm called Catalyze/Citizens which is aimed at combating anti-immigration narratives and countering the policies of the upcoming administration, as Politico reports.

The initiative will focus on major political advertising campaigns, messaging strategies, and efforts to curb disinformation about immigrants. Republicans outspent Democrats five to one on immigration-focused ads in key battleground states, framing immigration as a national threat and criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden's policies.

Total spending on immigration ads from January to October reached $680.5 million, with 84% of that coming from Republican campaigns, according to analysis from AdImpact data.

"The past decade has marked a dangerous shift: the mainstreaming of authoritarian ideology and the systematic spread of anti-immigrant narratives," Beatriz Lopez, co-executive director of Immigration Hub and Catalyze/Citizens, told Politico. "Catalyze/Citizens emerged from a clear conviction — we need a robust response that matches, competes and wins against the extreme right's anti-immigrant, anti-democratic narratives."

The next two years are expected to be pivotal as Democrats work to rebuild voter trust on immigration and counter Republican messaging ahead of the 2028 election cycle. Advocates stress the need for a balanced approach that addresses border security concerns while rejecting policies they view as extreme.

Trump's campaign has pledged to implement mass deportations and reverse Biden-era immigration policies, escalating the urgency for immigration advocates to prepare legal, messaging, and aid strategies.