Assignment:
Immigration is always a hot topic in our nation and especially here in Texas given that the state shares a border with Mexico. As Texas is a border state, we have a unique perspective on the issue, so I want to know what you think about current US immigration policy. Is it broken? If so, how do we fix it? Is it too lax? If so, how do we strengthen it so that immigration laws are enforced? What should be done about the immigrant caravans? Pres. Trump has taken a hard stance on this issue, even going so far as to send troops to the border and alluding to the possibility that they may be allowed to engage anyone attempting to cross the border illegally with force, including possibly deadly force should the troops be attacked with rocks, etc.
The ultimate question I want you to examine is: Is it possible to somehow accomplish the simultaneous goals of border security while encouraging immigration into the US legally? Is it possible to have stronger border security while creating a system in this nation that is welcoming and easier to navigate? Is it the responsibility of the U.S. to solve or be responsible for the economic and political woes of the nations where immigrants are leaving from and should issues like poverty or gang violence qualify for asylum in the same way the people escaping war-torn nations like Syria do? Finally, where/how does President Trump's proposed border wall fit into the equation, if at all? Most politicians seem to think that it is either one or the other, but not both. Can you correct their lack of vision?
Finally, in keeping with the COVID-19 theme, our interconnected world is what made the mass spread of the virus around the world possible. As nations have struggled to contain the virus, many have instituted travel bans in and out of their borders. Should use the US use the pandemic as an excuse to maintain the harsh travel/immigrations standards to some degree even after the pandemic has subsided? Would this
protect the US from viral threat in the future, or would doing so run against the traditions of the country and risk altering the nation in ways which we simply cannot fathom or predict without actually making us any more secure? As always, remember to cite at least once source and reply to one classmate's post in a thoughtful way.
Discussion essays should be approx. 1 page double-spaced and typed in 12-point Times New Roman font and should include at least 1 outside source other than the lecture materials which you must cite in APA formatting at the end of your post.