The Politics of Immigration: Questions and Answers

Special Public Dialogue Session with Reception

David Wilson: The Politics of Immigration-
Questions and Answers

In the spring of 2006, a tidal wave of resistance was triggered by HR4437, a bill conceived and designed to punish unauthorized immigrants. Millions of immigrants, students and supporters staged walkouts, slowdowns, and demonstrations, while untold others observed a national consumer boycott to demonstrate their solidarity.
This unprecedented show of force, and the ensuing anti-immigration backlash--in the form of punitive raids, detentions, threats and promises of tougher legislation--pushed the topic of immigration to the front and center of U.S. politics.
Polls show the public increasingly divided, with the debate framed as a choice between "deport them all" and "give everyone amnesty." But dialogue is possible as we dig deeper. Why are people leaving their homes? Why are they coming here? What is the impact of our current enforcement policies? What kinds of alternatives exist?
As part of a series of public dialogue sessions being held across the nation, David Wilson, co-author (with Jane Guskin) of The Politics of Immigration, will facilitate a public discussion to analyze the issues around immigrants and immigration: to look at the facts and myths around immigration, the arguments in favor of a rational policy, how to connect this information to people's own experiences, and how to help them respond more effectively to the misconceptions and mischief being spread by politicians, pundits and the media.

David L. Wilson is a co-editor, with Jane Guskin, of Weekly News Update on the Americas; he has contributed articles on Latin American issues to Monthly Review, Extra!, and New York's El Diario-La Prensa.He and Guskin coauthored The Politics of Immigration, released in July by Monthly Review Press; it is now in a second printing. The authors were recently interviewed on KPFA's Against the Grain.