Has the U.S. Forgotten Its Immigrant Roots?

From a frozen asylum system, huge camps on the Mexico border and family separation policies, to the worsening lack of healthcare and the aftereffects of COVID-19, Latinx communities are at a disadvantage both inside and outside U.S. borders. In this episode, we focus on events over the last few years greatly impacting Latinx communities: socially, economically and politically—as Trump administration immigration policies have resulted in child separation,huge camps on the Southern border, stalled immigration and much more.  Meanwhile, those held in detention centers face an added layer of challenges—ranging from lost children, to an increased risk of COVID infections. Are detainees seeking self-deportation to avoid contracting COVID? And what about sexual abuse? Despite numerous lawsuits and thousands of complaints filed against detention facilities staff, this staggering pattern of sexual abuse seems to continue in immigration detention centers.      Guests: Kevin Johnson, dean and Mabie-Apallas professor of public interest law at the University of California, Davis, School of Law. He is also the author of "How Did You Get to Be Mexican" and "Opening the Floodgates: Why America Needs to Rethink its Borders and Immigration Laws.” Domingo Garcia, attorney and national president of The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). Mary Giovagnoli, senior counsel for legal strategy for Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) and the former executive director of Refugee Council USA. She served as deputy assistant secretary for immigration policy in the Department of Homeland Security from January 2016 to January 2018.  Rate and review “On the Issues with Michele Goodwin" to let us know what you think of the show! Let’s show the power of independent feminist media.Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action to protect immigrant families.Support the show