Policy 2020: Our nation of immigrants

Immigration is one of the most misunderstood policy topics among the American public although it remains one of the most widely discussed. It is also one of the most politicized issues in American life, especially when elections come around, but at the heart of it are real people whose futures and lives are at stake.

On September 21, Brookings hosted a webinar focused on immigration and the 2020 election. Panelists discussed the opportunities and challenges we face and explored some of the key issues policymakers confront in tackling immigration. Brookings President John R. Allen provided introductory remarks. Mayor Kevin Faulconer of San Diego provided keynote remarks and joined Brookings Senior Fellow John Hudak in a conversation. Subsequently, Hudak moderated a panel discussion featuring Brookings Senior Fellow Dany Bahar, author Martine Kalaw, student Yanneli Llamas and UnidosUS Associate Director for Immigration Initiatives Carlos Guevara. The panel then took questions from the virtual audience.

This event—part of Brookings’s Policy 2020 initiative—also marked the launch of a new Brookings Cafeteria Podcast series on immigration. Over the past few months, John Hudak interviewed over a dozen people to get their insights on the immigration challenges facing the U.S. today. These include elected officials at the city, state, and national levels; a former secretary of homeland security; immigrants and children of immigrants; scholars; and activists. Each plays a unique role in and has a unique perspective on this nation’s immigration policy debate.

Viewers submitted questions on Twitter using #Policy2020.