TBI Public Forum on Immigration

TBI Public Forum on Immigration

Date and Time

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

This event occurred in the past

  • Tuesday, September 13, 2016 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Location

Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice, Peace & Justice Theater

5998 Alcala Park San Diego, CA 92110

Cost

0

Sponsor(s)

Details

The “border” is one of the most powerful and divisive symbols in American society. It hangs over our politics, shapes our cultural identities, and frames how we see ourselves in the world. But, the border is also a lived experience, and one that is not shared equally. For non-citizen U.S. veterans, undocumented immigrants brought here as children, and many others, the border can crush their dreams, their careers, and their families at the drop of a hat.

TBI invites members of the USD and San Diego communities to join us for a public forum on immigration policy. As the election season goes into the homestretch this fall, immigration and the status of the U.S.-Mexico border remain two of the hottest and most polarizing issues, shaping races from the presidential contest all the way down the ballot.

Undocumented immigration is at a forty-year low and immigration from Mexico has been net zero since 2005. And yet, the border debate has reached a fever pitch, accompanied by new lows of fear, xenophobia, and racism. TBI director Ev Meade and selected immigration experts from across our community hope to shed less heat and more light on the issue, through fact-based analysis, civil dialogue, and the quest for common ground among people of good faith with different visions and understandings of the border.

Special guests Dulce García and Daniel Torres will explain how the border has shaped their lives, imposing formidable obstacles, but also motivating them to excel in their careers and serve their communities. Ms. García received a deferral of removal (under DACA), completed law school, and was admitted to the bar as an immigration attorney, where she strives to ensure that all non-citizens get a fair day in court. Mr. Torres is a U.S. combat veteran who served in Iraq and faced deportation, and was recently granted citizenship after his case was re-opened. He is currently a law student in Tijuana, Baja California, and a champion of the cause of deported U.S. veterans.

The Panelists:
Adela Mason
Executive Director, Immigration Justice Project, American Bar Association

Dulce M. Garcia,
Garcia Law Firm

Daniel Torres,
United States Marine Corps, retired

Enrique Morones
Executive Director, Border Angels

Moderator:
Ev Meade
Director, Trans-Border Institute