Immigration Matters: AU Experts Comment on Immigration Issues WHO: American University experts
WHAT: American University experts are available to comment on issues related to immigration policy as envisioned by Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.
WHEN: August 30, 2016 - ongoing
WHERE: In–studio, on campus, via email, Skype, or telephone
Background: As Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump prepares to announce the details of his strategy to deal with the presence of America’s 11 million undocumented immigrants, American University experts are available to comment on a wide range of issues related to immigration policy and the political, economic, and the social ramifications of the ongoing debate.
Ernesto Castaneda is a sociology professor. Castañeda has conducted one of the most comprehensive social surveys to date, interviewing residents of El Paso, Texas, who live along the U.S.-Mexico border. When asked questions on perceptions of security and crime, an overwhelming majority of border city residents reported they feel safe. Castañeda can discuss the survey, its findings and other related surveys that, taken together, dispel the notion that the U.S. southwest border region is unsafe. The perception of an unsafe border is not backed up by official crime rates and statistics, U.S. Border Patrol apprehensions, or the everyday experiences of people in American cities along the U.S.-Mexico border. Castañeda’s research has also upended another notion about immigrants and their association to drugs and crime: recent immigrants are less likely to use illicit drugs.
Amanda Frost, professor of law and director of the Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) Program at American University’s Washington College of Law (AUWCL), writes and teaches in the fields of constitutional law, federal courts and jurisdiction, immigration law, and judicial ethics. She is currently teaching in the law school’s Immigrant Justice Clinic. Her most recent article, “Independence and Immigration,” was published in the Southern California Law Review.
Prof. Frost says: “Donald Trump may use this week’s speech to clarify his recent inconsistent statements backtracking on an earlier vow to deport all 11 million unauthorized immigrants from the United States if elected President. The speech may also address how he would implement his plan to deport millions of unauthorized immigrants. President Obama has currently used all available resources to remove about 400,000 unauthorized immigrants a year. If Trump wants to increase the number of deportations, then he has to explain where he would get the resources to do so, and how he would find and remove unauthorized immigrants without violating civil liberties and disrupting communities.”
Eric Hershberg, director of the Center for Latin American and Latino Studies and professor at AU’s School of Public Affairs, focuses on the comparative politics of Latin America, and on the politics of development. He is available to discuss issues related to the U.S. immigration policy, immigration reform, and the political and economic ramifications of this issue.
Prof. Hershberg says: “How to address the circumstances of roughly 11 million people who reside in the United States without documentation is among the most urgent challenges that will face a new administration. Until recently, GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump has insisted that all of these people should be deported, a proposal that is logistically unworkable and that has alarmed millions of residents across the land, even as it has generated enthusiasm from sectors of the electorate who demonize immigrants from Latin America, the Middle East and elsewhere. Trump's upcoming speech may signal whether his advisors are directing a shift in his rhetoric in order to appeal to voters who may perceive his positions to date as extremist, and whether his team is able to articulate a coherent approach to the complex policy issues related to immigration.”
William LeoGrande is an expert on Congress and foreign policy and U.S.–Latin American politics and relations. He can provide general commentary on immigration and how it impacts Latin America and the United States. He has written widely in the field of Latin American politics and U.S. foreign policy.
Prof. LeoGrande say: “Despite making immigration a center-piece of his campaign, Donald Trump has ignored the humanitarian crisis of undocumented children fleeing gang violence in Central America, and the jump in Cuban immigrants coming across the Texas border, drawn by the special privileges that only Cuban immigrants receive.”
Anita Sinha is an assistant professor of law and the director of the International Human Rights Law Clinic at AUWCL. Sinha joined the AUWCL faculty in 2012 as a practitioner-in-residence in the Immigrant Justice Clinic. Her research and scholarship address human rights issues related to forced migration and detention, and the intersection of immigration and constitutional law.
Prof. Sinha says: “The GOP Presidential candidate Donald Trump has not made immigration policy statements up until this point, but instead unrealistic proclamations about building walls and keeping out migrants and refugees based on their religious beliefs. Perhaps we will hear more substance from him on the topic this week, but it is unlikely that anything he will propose will both keep with this country’s oldest traditions of accepting immigrants and move forward to fix a broken immigration system.”
Explore American University’s School of Public Affairs Policy Explainer for additional information related to the 2016 presidential campaign.
American University is a leader in global education, enrolling a diverse student body from throughout the United States and nearly 140 countries. Located in Washington, D.C., the university provides opportunities for academic excellence, public service, and internships in the nation’s capital and around the world.
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