The Institute for the Study of Religious in Community Life welcomed Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) to SJC Long Island on Tuesday to share his views on one of the most contentious issues confronting American society: immigration.
Taking into consideration America’s rapid demographic change and increasing political polarization, as well as the dramatic increase in the number of people attempting to enter the country through the southern border, Nadler discussed possibility of a comprehensive immigration solution.
Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said the American immigration system has long been broken and that the policies of the Trump administration were only exacerbating the problem. He recited a litany of recent issues, such as family separation; the proposed suspension of foreign aid to El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua; revocation of Temporary Protected Status; and the increase of deportations as proof that the president has taken draconian measures to make the situation worse rather than better.
Some in the audience disagreed with the Congressman. Dimitri Martin, a senior and accounting major at SJC Long Island, thought “that the congressman had his points, but that we need to focus more on the
problems we face here in our own country, rather than supporting other nations.”
The congressman then stated that more immigration was essential to economic growth and discussed
the United States’ historic role as a place of refuge. He outlined the potential parameters of a compromise,
saying that while both sides could agree on E-Verify and the reinstatement of DACA protections,
widespread deportation was not an option in his mind.
“I found the talk to be informative – I appreciate that he didn’t duck any questions,” said Edwin Gomez,
a freshman computer science major. “I learned a lot about the issue and how challenging finding a
solution will be.”
