Karen Woodrow-Lafield comments on the future of U.S. immigration reform
In a comment for the Latin America Advisor, faculty associate Karen Woodrow-Lafield outlines recent efforts toward immigration reform in the U.S. Congress, and contrasts past efforts toward legal pathways for citizenship with current emphasis on deportation and trade protectionism. Dr. Woodrow-Lafield asserts that existing policies, and a move away from efforts to provide a pathway to legal status and possibly eventual naturalization, could impact the economies of key states including California, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois, where immigrants form a vital portion of the workforce. In addition, deportations are likely to impact families where undocumented immigrants have U.S. born children, and/or are married to naturalized or U.S. born spouses. Dr. Woodrow-Lafield urges the need for unifying policies on undocumented immigrants across states, and an inclination toward building healthy relations with neighboring countries.