With 100 days until the 2024 election, immigration remains a top priority issue for voters. Record levels of migration to the United States in recent years have taxed an immigration system left nearly broken due to decades of congressional disputes and underinvestment. Sensational news coverage and partisan discourse about the border often conflates competing concerns over the rising tide of migrants displaced by climate change, war and poverty, national security, and the state of the US economy, leaving many of us to wonder: What exactly is happening at US borders and how can we make it better? Is there a way to preserve American interests and safely migrate potential new citizens into the country?  Inspired by powerful installations in our summer exhibition In Pursuit, this dynamic discussion brings together a cross-perspective panel of scholars and experts to delve into the complexities of immigration policy and its multifaceted impact on our society. Panelists will separate fact from fiction around key issues such as border security, placement of refugees, and paths to citizenship, and offer possible solutions and suggestions for reform.

Before the panel discussion, teachers, educators, and school faculty are invited to a free professional development session focused on Teaching Immigration through Historical and Contemporary Perspectives, in collaboration with Sphere Education Initiatives.