"Zero-Tolerance" and Hashtag Activism

“Zero Tolerance”

The consequences of Trump’s disastrous “zero-tolerance” policy were hinted at back in March of 2017, when former Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly let it slip that Trump’s administration was considering separating the families of undocumented immigrants. Since then, Americans have learned that those cryptic hints were only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the scale of damage this zero-tolerance policy has caused. Families have been torn apart, children have endured neglect and mistreatment, and the very definition of American values have come under siege. The reality is that even after promises that families would be reunited, undocumented immigrants face increasingly harsh conditions. Since last year, at least seven children have died while in immigration custody, after a decade with no reported cases of child death while in U.S. custody. It is not an overstatement to refer to these detention centers as concentration camps. 

Social Media Response

Social media has not been silent about these events. Across the country, individuals have taken to the internet to voice their outrage. At times, their voices have converged and the result has been mobilization and organization. Still, the sheer number of voices demanding to be heard has divided the front, at times. There is no question that the treatment of undocumented immigrants has been atrocious, and the public response to these atrocities has been overwhelming. But has it been enough?

#NoKidsInCages

Since Trump first announced his zero-tolerance policy, a slew of hashtags have swept the Twitterverse. #NoKidsInCages, #ClosetheCamps, and #AbolishICE  are only three examples of rallying cries used by private citizens and politicians alike in protest of these policies. In some cases, these hashtags lead to physical action. #NoKidsInCages organized a protest throughout New York City in which twenty cages were set up on street corners. In the cages were child-sized mannequins covered in foil blankets, with audio-recordings blaring the cries of migrant children. Johnathan Ryan, CEO of RAICES, the organization that initiated the #NoKidsInCages project, told Huffington Post, “... as horrified and angry as people have been, we also become desensitized…” By displaying such unsettling images in public, Ryan and the rest of #NoKidsInCages hope to call attention to an ongoing question of America’s identity as a country that welcomes immigrants.  

#JewsAgainstICE

Another hashtag that has mobilized beyond the internet is #JewsAgainstICE. This hashtag has mobilized Jewish citizens who feel sympathy for detainees. In August, the Jews Against ICE movement organized a rally in New York City in conjunction with Jewish Mourning Holiday Tisha B’Av to protest Amazon’s affiliation with ICE. While Tisha B’Av is traditionally meant to commemorate Jewish tragedies, #JewsAgainstICE protestors saw the day of fasting and mourning as an opportunity to express their solidarity with another targeted minority group, in an effort to prevent a modern tragedy. 

#NeverAgainIsNow

Jewish protestors also rally under the hashtag #NeverAgainIsNow, referring to unspeakable atrocities of the Holocaust and the disturbing echoes of those atrocities in the way undocumented migrants are treated in America.

Given these disquieting similarities, it isn’t difficult to understand why Jewish Americans feel particularly sympathetic for undocumented detainees. Jewish writer Tali Ginsburg says, “When I see camps that are overcrowded, unhygienic, and cruel, I know in my bones that when we say ‘never again,’ it means we have to act now.”This cross-cultural solidarity is a fascinating development that is a unique contribution  of social media. In particular, the effect social media has had on globalization has left the world feeling more connected than ever before, making it possible for minority groups to come to one another’s aid in an unprecedented fashion. 

Protest in Lawton, OK

Additionally, social media acts as a vehicle for different activist groups to support one another. For example, this tweet from the official page of the Women’s March organization calls attention to a protest in Lawton, Oklahoma. The Trump administration had scheduled to transport hundreds of migrant children to Fort Sill, a military base in Lawton that had previously been used as a Japanese internment camp in World War II. This blatant echo of past mistakes caught the attention of activists across the country, and thus a protest was organized in June, 2019. The protest brought several groups, including a large group of Japanese Americans who had suffered in internment camps, together under the #ClosetheCamps hashtag. This demonstrates social media’s unique ability to connect activist groups that, on the surface, have very little in common. However, it also emphasizes the intrinsic connection between all social activism. When one group is fighting for their rights, it is easy to empathize with another group who is also fighting for the same rights.

To Say and To Do

At times, the crippling weight of negativity that constantly spews from Washington, D.C. can be paralyzing. A simple retweet hardly feels sufficient to address such overwhelming problems. However, it is clear that social media can be used as a tool for significant, meaningful connection. When orchestrated by the right minds, the hashtag can be weaponized and made into an effective tool for communication. The trick is to have a commitment to action that underlies the quick post. It’s easy to retweet a sympathetic post. But the retweet by itself isn’t enough. Real change comes when efforts are mobilized. Social media has given everyone a voice, but it’s up to us to use our voices to call ourselves to action.