As the US presidential election approaches, immigration has once again become a decisive issue. More than 60 percent of voters consider this their top concern. Although the number of people crossing the U.S. southern border is currently declining rapidly, it hit a record high in December. The backlog of asylum applications has grown as cities scramble to accommodate migrants fleeing unstable countries such as Venezuela and Afghanistan.
Former President Donald Trump, who has promised mass deportations if re-elected, bet his campaign on an image evoking a “military invasion” of criminals and terrorists, falsely blaming immigrants for stagnant wages and housing shortages. I’m blaming.
Democrats have moved to the right on this issue in response to growing voter wariness. Over the past few months, President Biden has introduced executive orders that will drastically reduce asylum claims. Since taking office in July, Vice President Kamala Harris has called for tighter border controls and accused Trump of derailing bipartisan reform efforts.
Immigration policy must be simple and transparent, with governments deciding who is allowed into the country. But instead, understanding the issue often requires weaving through a convoluted analysis of an alphabet soup of legal jargon, government agency names, and visa programs. Wise questions remain largely unanswered, such as how we ended up with such a flawed and bloated system and why so many people still risk travel.
The good news is we don’t have to live this way. Here are some books that will make this topic less confusing and provide some perspective.
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