Episode 2: US Immigration Politics

Hello fellow readers!

This week is....
Link to Article - "US to reunite migrant families as immigration politics boil"

Summary: Following President Trump's "zero tolerance" policy which was met with resistance, is a court-order to reunite separated families with their children. Right now, according to Alex Azar who is Secretary of Health and Human Services, HHS will begin reuniting children under 5 with their families next Tuesday. However, according to Azar, there are "under 3,000" migrant kids under HHS care. With the help of DNA testing, hopefully this will speed up processing. While that is being carried by HHS, President Trump demands Congress fix immigration laws immediately.

Analysis: Looking at recent events, especially in our current political climate, immigration has been what most call an issue. Additionally, as a Vietnamese American who has grown up in Houston, TX, one of the most diverse yet segregated cities in the US, my experiences with immigration have been not only unique to experiences of those crossing our border today but those same experiences have shaped my views on US Immigration policy.

My thoughts on this topic are simply the following: President Trump's "zero tolerance" policy is not only immoral but is effectively setting the stage for targeted hate and fear of a group of people which I find is not so different from antisemitism experienced during World War II.
Isolating children from their families no matter the circumstance can be seen as immoral, and so much so, that US citizens have protested for the reunification of these children back to their families and to call for immigration reform. And honestly, immigration has been the backbone of American culture. The diversity of people hailing the US flag is immense and not it isn't just Hispanic people who want to come to the US but all types of people who seek opportunity, asylum, a "safer" country, and acceptance.

Even as a Southeast Asian, I have found that my experiences growing up here in diverse Houston were only enriched by Hispanic culture and its people. My El Salvadorian neighbors take me to and from school almost every day of last year. My program manager for a non-profit organization, Mi Familia Vota, is an inspiring man working towards instilling leadership skills and hope into students like myself. And before I knew what elotes en vaso was, I loved it.

The point is, Trump's demands for Congress to solve the problem is just too narrow. The entire process of getting Congress to enact immigration reform starts with the citizens and people who know what they're talking about, have lived the experiences, or be well-informed enough about both sides of the story to speak up. It's this type of process of commuting information that will lead to compromises rather than absolutes like President Trump's "zero tolerance" policy to achieve not only a more humane solution than separating children from their families but reform policies that are less targeted towards one specific group of people and encompass all types of people regardless of race. Very quickly, there is a trend of this information circulation throughout social and mass media. 

US immigration reform today is a direct example of the relationship between Congress and the President to the people and what happens when people resist certain laws imposed. In this situation, people disagreed and strongly protested a situation President Trump ordered (children in separate camps) and so the same people who advocated for that situation refrained and are beginning the process of reunification, albeit gradually. And in the future, policymakers need to have a broad and open-minded view on US policies and their creation in order to set a healthy and aware tone for future generations.