Julia Gelatt, Associate Director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Program at the Migration Policy Institute, tackles pressing immigration issues. She breaks down the implications of sealing the border and the myths surrounding current policies. Gelatt explains the intricate dynamics of asylum processes and the unique challenges faced by refugees versus asylum seekers. She also discusses the labor market's reliance on immigration and critiques restrictive policies affecting skilled workers. Lastly, she explores controversial changes to birthright citizenship and their long-term effects on immigrant families.
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Border Encounters
Record migrant encounters at the southwest border stemmed from push and pull factors.
These include repressive governments, economic disparities, gang violence, and a booming U.S. economy.
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Push and Pull Factors
The pull of U.S. opportunity and familial ties, combined with worsening conditions in other countries, fueled migration.
Smugglers used social media, and migrants shared U.S. experiences online, amplifying the pull.
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Border Control Challenges
Migrants at the border are held in short-term facilities, not released pending court cases.
"Operational control" is difficult due to arrival numbers and legal right to seek asylum, causing policy and litigation challenges.
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Among Trump's Day 1 executive orders is one called Securing Our Borders, which promises to build the wall, detain and deport immigrants who violate federal or state law, prosecute illegal border crossers, and obtain "complete operational control" of the border. He also declared a state of emergency and ordered the military to "seal the border" and repel an "invasion." Perhaps most controversial of all, another order claims to end birthright citizenship.
The crackdown is already in full swing, with NBC News reporting a single-day record 1,179 immigration arrests this past Sunday. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted picturesof herself overseeing a series of arrests in New York on Tuesday.
Today's guest is going to help us understand the myths and realities of the immigration system and offer some suggestions about what pragmatic steps could be taken to reform an immigration system that people on all sides have come to believe just isn't working.
Julia Gelatt is associate director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Program at the Migration Policy Institute, where she studies the legalities of the immigration system, demographic trends, and the interactions between local, state, and federal immigration policy.
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