Episode 25 – Migration beyond Myths & Polemics

We already seem to have forgotten it, but it has only been weeks that President Donald J. Trump federalized the National Guard to re-establish order in the city of Los Angeles amidst protests against deportations of undocumented immigrants. What L.A. mayor Karen Bass and California’s Governor Gavin Newsom condemned as a presidential abuse of power, Republican lawmakers in California considered a necessary step to prevent further escalation. Few issues are as divisive in US politics as immigration – and on few issues do voters see so little progress and true reform. What is the situation at the border really like? What steps could and should Congress take to reform the migration system? We discuss these questions with Kristie De Peña, Senior Vice President for Policy and Director of Immigration Policy at the Niskanen Center, a think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C. Before joining Niskanen Center, Kristie held various positions in the public and nonprofit sectors. She earned her LL.M. in national security and foreign policy from George Washington University School of Law and her law degree (J.D.) from the University of Iowa College of Law. De Peña has written for various media outlets, including The New York Times and Time magazine, and is frequently cited in, CNBC, The New York Times, USA Today, Bloomberg, Newsweek, and others. She was named one of the most influential people shaping policy in 2024 by the Washingtonian.Reading recommendation: "In Our Interest: How Democracies Can Make Immigration Popular" by Alexander Kustov.