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Global Crises, Local Impacts: Threats to Social Cohesion and How Cities Can Respond (September 2024)

Publication Date:

25/10/2000

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Event Reports

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asylum seekersClimate ChangeEuropeGlobal CrisesHate SpeechLocal ImpactsMigrationNorth America

— 18 minutes reading time

Summary

On 25 September 2024, the Strong Cities Network hosted the latest in a series of monthly webinars on Global Crises, Local Impacts: Threats to Social Cohesion and How Cities Can Respond. The webinar series is part of Strong Cities’ Global Crises, Local Impacts Initiative, launched in response to growing requests from the Network’s members and other cities to provide support and peer learning as they try to navigate the local impacts of successive and concurrent global crises – from COVID-19 and migration to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, climate change and, most immediately, the crisis in the Middle East.

The September webinar focused on a challenge with significant impacts at the local level: migration. The debate over migration policy – whether at the local, national or international level – is often contentious, and at its most extreme, can see migrant communities in our cities targeted with hate and violence. Despite the evidence of positive impacts of these new arrivals for cities and countries around the world – including experiences shared by representatives of local governments during this webinar – migration is routinely weaponised, and public opinion can quickly shift to apprehension and fear. With migration continuing to rise globally – whether due to climate, war or in search for economic opportunity – how cities navigate these challenges will be crucial.

The webinar featured briefings by representatives of the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) and IOM-Poland on challenges and experiences surrounding migration in Ireland and Poland respectively, as well as a panel discussion with city officials from Atlanta (Georgia) and Columbus (Ohio) in the United States, and The Hague in the Netherlands. Our panellists shared challenges and approaches they have taken in navigating the challenges that unprecedented levels of migration present for communities in their jurisdictions, and how their cities are finding a balance between being a welcoming city for new arrivals and communicating with and reassuring existing residents. The webinar also offered an opportunity to explore approaches cities can take to counter the online/offline mis/disinformation and conspiracy theories that drive anti-migrant hate, and strategies our participating cities are using to maintain and even strengthen social cohesion in the migration context.

Key Takeaways

1. Migrants are increasingly the target of on- and offline hate, which in some cities includes protests and vigilante-type attacks on migrants; disinformation and false rumours of crimes allegedly committed by migrants. Social media platforms are failing to take effective action against the promotion of hate targeting these new arrivals to communities, despite the how it is inciting violence against refugees, asylum seekers and migrants.
2. There are several steps that cities can take, and in many cases are taking, to prevent and respond to dis/misinformation surrounding migrants and, more broadly, to anti-migrant hate. These include, among others:
   
   • Mayoral leadership in promoting the city as a ‘welcoming’ one and messaging the economic benefits that accrue to a ‘welcoming’ one.
   • Providing resources to help ensure new arrivals are supported and have opportunities: this includes ensuring (with support, where appropriate, from international and/or other government partners) that new arrivals have access to interpreters, lawyers, psychologists and other professional in reception and detention centres.
   • Adopting a place-based model of outreach to ensure that these new arrivals who may not have trusted relationships with government and with predominantly limited English proficiency, can interact with the city and municipal representatives.
   • Ensuring that the composition of the local police department reflects the diversity of the wider community.
   • Providing a support network for communities when heated political rhetoric about/targeted at these communities rises – so that members of these communities know that the city is there to help them navigate these divisive issues.
3. At the city-level, coordination among the mayor, city council and local government regarding the city’s welcoming policies and overall mission to support both long-term residents and new arrivals, is crucial for presenting a united front against mis/disinformation and can reduce anti-migrant sentiments across the city. Coordination (including with respect to both communication and support) and understanding among different levels of government is also critical to maintaining social cohesion in the face dis/misinformation targeting migrants or any other vulnerable group.

Role of Local Government in Addressing Online Harms

The webinar opened with a briefing by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD), which hosts the Strong Cities Network. ISD Senior Analyst Aoife Gallagher shared how a November 2023 stabbing incident involving children saw the city of Dublin (Ireland) descend into chaos and anti-migrant hate. The incident escalated to include violence, intimidation and harassment directed at migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, with ISD documenting 61 incidents of reported (but likely underestimates real figures) racist intimidation, verbal abuse or violence between 6 May to 16 August 2024.

Aoife shared that ISD has found that the ‘seeds’ of this violence were sown more than five years ago in the context of public discourse and debate over the country’s system for housing asylum seekers, which many viewed as sub-standard. During and following the COVID-19 pandemic, this rhetoric shifted to focus on the lack of services to support the population increase. The Russia-Ukraine war triggered a further escalation, with Ireland taking in more than 100,000 Ukrainian refugees amid an extreme domestic housing crisis, and growing pressure on other social services. Rising tensions and protests in the East Wall area of Dublin in November 2022 were, as Aoife reported, a “flashpoint for the rapid escalation of protest movements and violence Ireland is experiencing today”. When, in December 2023, the Irish government ran out of accommodation for newly arrived asylum seekers, they were given a tent to pitch wherever they can in the city, leaving them highly vulnerable to attacks around encampments. Aoife noted that 70% of the incidents recorded by ISD were filmed by the person engaging in the abusive behaviour, who appear to do so with impunity, often posting their evidence online under their real names or evading platform bans by creating new accounts and continuing to post online in clear breach of platform policies.

City Panel Discussion

The webinar’s city panel discussion featured officials from three Strong Cities members, who shared their cities’ experiences and approaches: Paulina Guzman, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of International and Immigrant Affairs – Welcoming Atlanta, in the City of Atlanta (Georgia, United States); Corey Lewis, Director of Education, Culture and Welfare in the Municipality of The Hague (Netherlands); and Abdi Sophie, Coordinator of the New America Program, within the Department of Neighborhoods, City of Columbus (Ohio, United States).

Challenges Facing Cities

Paulina shared how Atlanta’s mission is to be welcoming city that empowers foreign-born communities; a city that values its immigrants as vital contributors to the community and where everyone is afforded an equal opportunity. Like many cities across the United States, Atlanta – and the state of Georgia more broadly – has seen an influx of immigrants. These include those coming directly from the southern border (with Mexico), who have had some interaction with the US Department of Human Services and their status is pending, but desire to reside in Atlanta. There is also a significant population who have lived in the city for many years, and may require some additional services, resources and opportunities.

In Columbus (Ohio, United States), the challenges are similar to those experienced in Atlanta. Columbus has also seen an increase in migrants from the southern border as well as Asia. Despite mis/disinformation and migration so often being weaponized in national politics (e.g. neighbouring town of Springfield, in the context of the presidential election campaigning), the overall experience in Columbus has been positive, due in large part to the city’s leadership and focus on being a welcoming city, and the resources made available to ensure those communities are supported and have opportunities.

In The Hague (Netherlands), a ‘hyper-diverse’ community that prides itself on being an international city and a rule of law city, migration ‘is in the city’s DNA’, with half of the population having a migrant background (if including third generation). Corey shared that, currently, The Hague is facing a migration crisis, due – in large part (like many cities across the Network) – a lack of available housing. Corey shared that the pressures are not being caused by support for asylum seekers or refugees, but rather migrants from within the internal market of the European Union (e.g., Poland, Romania). The Hague is also facing challenges in the online and offline spheres, with regards to rising Islamophobia, particularly targeting migrants.

City-Led Approaches

In The Hague, post-COVID 19, many people are now working from home, so the municipality has been transforming former office spaces to build new communities throughout the city (not limited to neighbourhoods with significant migrant communities). Corey shared that the municipality has also organised targeted local job markets, which is providing a pathway for migrants eager to earn their own money and be self-sustaining.

In Atlanta, amid a surge of immigrants in 2023, Atlanta was the only entity in the state to apply for a federal grant under the Emergency Food and Shelter program. The grant enabled the city to sub-grant to community-based organisations to provide wrap-around services (e.g., housing, shelter, transportation, healthcare, food and case management) for new arrivals to the city. Among the city’s other programmes, includes Community-Resource Events, a place-based model of outreach to ensure that communities who may not have trusted relationships with government and with predominantly limited English proficiency, can interact with the city and municipal representatives. This model, which started off as a response to COVID-19, has been adapted and scaled. It is now active in ten different neighbourhoods and brings together the city’s police, fire and rescue, and municipal departments such as parks and recreation. It is also tailored to appropriately align with the needs of the respective neighbourhoods, enabling the city to draw in partners (e.g., non-profits, civic advocacy organisations, and interpreters) as needed, helping to not only address community needs but to build trust.

In Columbus, Abdi shared how a recent Strong Cities Transatlantic Dialogue Initiative event in Columbus had energised the city, ‘making the city even stronger’. He shared how Columbus, the 14th largest US city, has not historically been a destination for migrants. Over time, that has changed. Columbus now has more than 155,000 foreign-born residents, at least 330 businesses owned by people from different countries, and more than 6,700 students from around the world. Columbus’ New American Program, which has at its foundation a core belief that migration makes the city strong and vibrant, draws immigrants and refugees to fully participate in and contribute to the city’s economic, civic, social and cultural life. It encourages immigrants and refugees to participate in the city government and community programs, actively partners with community-based organisations, and provides tailored, strategically designed empowerment programs that emphasise equity and innovation.

Columbus’ Community Relations Commission is the city’s civil rights and civil liberty arm, which works with communities who feel disenfranchised or experience discrimination. Abdi shared that the city has a very high number of protected classes, ensuring that residents cannot be discriminated based on their ethnicity or cultural origin, and all new residents have equal access to businesses opportunities. The city’s law enforcement community is also actively engaging with communities to ensure its recruitment and composition reflects the diversity of the wider community. And, with more than 100 languages spoken in Columbus, Mayor Andrew Ginther (a member of Strong Cities’ International Steering Committee) is particularly focused on ensuring language accessibility and establishing programming that is innovative, fully accessible and makes sense for the community. This broader benefits of this focus on being a welcoming city is reflected in the positive economic growth of the city.

Anti-Migrant Hate: Mis/Disinformation

Given the rampant and, in many regions, rising anti-migrant hate, mis/disinformation and conspiracy narratives around migrants, asylum seekers and refugees, in both the online and offline spheres, we asked our panellists to share how their cities are addressing these challenges, supporting their migrant communities and seeking to counter the impact on social cohesion.

Paulina shared that in Atlanta, Mayor Andre Dickens and the City Council are well aligned in terms of the city’s welcoming policies and overall mission, which she noted is crucial for presenting a united front against mis/disinformation, and which has translated to more positive sentiments regarding immigrants among communities. But she noted that there are typically variations between the capital city and more urban areas versus sentiments in more rural areas regarding immigration, and there can be heated discussions and rhetoric prior to the legislative sessions and during elections, but in general, the reality on the ground doesn’t match this negativity. She pointed to the city’s many Community Resource Events and other programs through which the city is building and deepening trust with migrant communities, which she noted helped provide a support network for communities when heated political rhetoric about/targeted at these communities rises; they know that the city shows up for them and serves as a resource for them to navigate through these situations.

In The Hague, which houses all the country’s government ministries, national dynamics can have a profound impact locally. Corey said that with the election of new (right-wing) national government, there has been renewed debate around migration, as well as other issues. Corey shared how Mayor Jan van Zanen (Strong Cities’ International Steering Committee Co-Chair), is trying to find common ground in the political dialogue, an approach that also informs the city’s strategy to online mis/disinformation and dialogue promulgated through social platforms. The latter includes calling on its student communities to become more active on platforms where there were previously not active, with the aim of diversifying voices and enhancing the dialogue, rather than hate.

In Columbus, Abdi said that the city’s welcoming policy, and understanding what communities need and what can practically work, helps ensure that most of the receiving community is welcoming and helps mitigate against and supports communities when online mis/disinformation leads to misunderstandings, misperceptions and unnecessary disengagement. He noted, if you don’t feel a sense of belonging in your city, and there are negative perceptions of migrants in neighbouring cities or towns, it can creep into your city.

In the neighbouring city of Springfield, for example, false information was recently weaponised in the context of a political campaign, creating a frightening situation for the city’s Haitian community, including more than two dozen bomb threats. The escalation prompted the State to send in additional law enforcement and install surveillance cameras around the city to be able to reopen schools and government buildings. Abdi shared that the incident prompted an immediate, coordinated effort, led by Springfield’s city leadership, with the support from Columbus’ Mayor Ginther, and other state and local leaders, to provide support to community stakeholders and educate the broader community. While these efforts were successful in deescalating and providing support, Abdi underscored the stress and fear caused – both for the targeted community and broader communities in and around Springfield.

He shared that, based on Columbus’ experience, creating opportunities for residents to become more engaged and to be more well informed is important in both prevention and response to such incidents. Central to that is interagency coordination. In Ohio, there is strong coordination and understanding between state and local leadership, governments and departments, which has been very positive and went a long way to dispelling misinformation, as occurred in Springfield.

Briefing on IOM’s Work with Municipalities and Regional Authorities in Poland

Monika Pochron-Frankowska, the National Liaison Officer from IOM – Poland, briefed participants on IOM’s work with cities, joining from webinar from the Poland-Belarus border where her team has been helping communities recover from devastating floods in Poland.

IOM has been working in Poland since 2002, well before the Russia-Ukraine conflict. IOM’s central focus is supporting countries with migration, with respect for human rights. Since February 2022, the IOM mission in Poland has expanded rapidly to respond the needs of individuals escaping Ukraine. Recently, IOM has been supporting local municipalities and regional authorities on efforts around social inclusion and ensuring that the local labour market is inclusive and accessible to all people with a migrant background. Monika noted that the Russia-Ukraine conflict is one of the largest humanitarian crises to hit Eastern Europe, and a significant challenge for Poland, which had historically been regarded as an exporter rather than importer of migrants. At the local level, IOM is supporting regional authorities to draft strategies to support migration and integration, including through integration centres for foreigners in seven different municipalities across Poland.

IOM’s work with Poland – and this crisis – takes places amid a challenging political context. The Government of Poland takes up the EU Presidency as of 1 January 2025 amid continuing challenges related to the Russia-Ukraine war, including migration. The Polish government voted against the European Union Pact on Migration and Asylum, which sets out new rules for managing migration and establishing a common asylum system at EU level, but as an EU member is obliged to implement the directives until the end of 2026. As such, Poland is obliged to have the National Migration Strategy, which will be the official roadmap for not only the federal government, but all local and regional authorities in the country.

The EU Migration and Asylum Pact has been the catalyst for significant mis/disinformation, not only in Poland, but other EU members as well. Monika explained that should one country with external EU borders face large numbers of migrants at its borders, other EU member countries may have to receive the migrants, as an act of the solidarity, and receive a certain amount of money depending on the circumstances. Across Poland, mis/disinformation spread alleging that should a country refuse to take in migrants, they would have to pay around EU10,000 per person. This is just one of many rumours that have spread around the EU Migration and Asylum Pact and member obligations, which has impacted how some residents have viewed migrants and the impact on their communities.

IOM is currently supporting Poland’s Ministry of Interior (responsible for the country’s national-level migration strategy) that is supposed to be implemented by the end of 2024 and valid from 2025 to 2030. The strategy has been developed in broad consultations with non-governmental organisations, regional authorities and stakeholders at the national level, including ministries responsible for foreign affairs, labour, and social affairs. Currently, the country’s ability to welcome new arrivals is complicated by criteria that migrants must satisfy to gain access to the labour market or universities in Poland, but IOM is confident that this will be addressed by the new strategy. IOM is working with different municipalities and regional authorities in Poland to support 49 integration centres, hiring interpreters, lawyers, psychologists and other support to provide migrants in reception and detention centres with the support they need.

Monika kindly shared two resources for our members. First, a Danish video, titled ‘All That We Share‘, to inspire local governments as to how to engage their communities on the migrant experience. Second, an IOM review of lessons learned on social mixing, titled ‘The Power of Contact: Social Mixing Activities to Strengthen Migrant Integration and Social Cohesion Between Migrants and Local Communities‘.

Next Steps

This webinar was the eighth in a series of monthly webinars for mayors, city representatives and research organisations for timely discussion and exchanges of approaches around Global Crises, Local Impacts. The next session – Navigating Tensions between Migrants, Displaced Persons & Host Communities: City-Led Strategies for Addressing Flashpoints & Promoting Social Cohesion – is scheduled for 25 September 2024.

Additional Resources

Strong Cities Resources:

• Transatlantic Dialogue Initiative: Ten Key Findings in 2023, Strong Cities Network (March 2024)
• Navigating Local Impacts of Global Crises: Ten Considerations for Mayors and Cities – Lessons from the Israel-Gaza Crisis, Strong Cities Network (December 2023)
• Global Crises, Local Impacts: Threats to Social Cohesion and How Cities Can Respond, Event Report, Strong Cities Network (June 2024)
• Global Crises, Local Impacts: Threats to Social Cohesion and How Cities Can Respond, Event Report, Strong Cities Network (May 2024)
• Global Crises, Local Impacts: Threats to Social Cohesion and How Cities Can Respond, Event Report, Strong Cities Network (April 2024)
• Global Crises, Local Impacts: Threats to Social Cohesion and How Cities Can Respond, Event Report, Strong Cities Network (March 2024)
• Global Crises, Local Impacts: Threats to Social Cohesion and How Cities Can Respond, Event Report, Strong Cities Network (February 2024)
• Global Crisis, Local Impacts: Threats to Social Cohesion & How Cities Can Respond, Event Report, Strong Cities Network (January 2024)
• Global Crisis, Local Impacts: Threats to Social Cohesion & How Cities Can Respond, Event Report, Strong Cities Network (December 2023)
• A Guide for Mayors: Preventing and Responding to Hate, Extremism and Polarisation, Strong Cities Network (September 2023)
• A Guide for Cities: Preventing Hate, Extremism & Polarisation, Strong Cities Network (September 2023)
• A Guide for City-Led Response, Strong Cities Network (April 2024)
• 50 Possible Questions to Open Israeli-Palestinian Dialogues, International Ombuds Association (February 2024)

Other Resources

• Countering Anti-Institutional Extremism in Europe (interview with Erik Akerboom, Director General of the General Intelligence and Security Service), International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (March 2024)
• Anti-Government Threats and their Transnational Connections, International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (March 2024)
• Intimidation of State and Local Office Holders, Brennan Center for Justice (January 2024)
• Doxxing, threats and harassment: Intimidation toward election candidates in 2024 raises concerns in Ireland Institute for Strategic Dialogue (June 2024)
• Public Figures Public Rage: Candidate Abuse on Social Media, Institute for Strategic Dialogue
• ISD Monthly Brief: Online Extremist and Other Activity with Potential to Escalate to Violence, February – March April 2024, Institute for Strategic Dialogue (March 2024)
• Terrorism, Extremism, Disinformation and Artificial Intelligence: A Primer for Policy Practitioners, Friedrich Naumann Stiftung and Institute for Strategic Dialogue (February 2024)
• Vilify, Ridicule, Disinform: Political Communication and Media Trust in the Age of Generative AI, Friedrich Naumann Stiftung and Institute for Strategic Dialogue (February 2024)
• Conspiracy Theories: A Guide for Members of Parliament and Candidates Institute for Strategic Dialogue (May 2024)
• ISD Monthly Brief: Online Extremist and Other Activity with Potential to Escalate to Violence, March – April 2024, Institute for Strategic Dialogue (April 2024)
• Understanding Threats and Harassment Against Local Officials, Bridging Divides Initiative, Princeton University
• Conspiracy theories continue to mobilize extremists to violence, Institute for Strategic Dialogue (June 2024)
• Conspiracy Theories Matter, But Not All Are Meaningful: A Guide for Analyzing Risk to Audiences, Institute for Strategic Dialogue (May 2024)

Contact Information

For more information on this event, the webinar series, or Strong Cities Transatlantic Dialogue or Global Crises, Local Impacts Initiatives, please contact Allison Curtis, Deputy Executive Director, at [email protected].

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