EXPERTS ADVISORY

Immigration consistently emerges as an important issue during U.S. election cycles due to its deep ties to national security, economic policy and cultural identity. As the country struggles with questions about border control, pathways to citizenship and the role of immigrants in the workforce, the topic remains highly polarizing.

With demographic shifts and global migration trends influencing policy discussions, immigration is set to be a defining factor in the 2024 election. Both major parties are expected to spotlight their approaches, from stricter border enforcement to comprehensive reform that includes protections for undocumented immigrants.

U-M experts are available to discuss related issues.

Mara Cecilia Ostfeld is an associate research scientist and research director at the Center for Racial Justice at the Ford School of Public Policy.

“Immigration is set to be a defining issue in the 2024 elections, but it’s important to recognize that public opinion on immigration is nuanced and multifaceted,” she said. “Each dimension of immigration policy—whether it’s border security, the treatment of immigrants, the number of opportunities for people to legally immigrate to the U.S., authorization to work during pending immigration decisions, or pathways to citizenship—draws distinctly different responses from voters.

“But as Americans form their views toward immigration policy, it is helpful to recall that just four years ago, many immigrants were deemed ‘essential workers.’ These individuals were called to work in dangerous conditions without access to vaccines or personal protective equipment so that the rest of us could be safe and the U.S. economy could continue to operate. To now scapegoat immigrants for current economic challenges represents a striking reversal. As we shape our views on immigration policy, we should consider the contributions of these individuals and reject narratives of blame that undermine their role in our society.”

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William Lopez is a clinical assistant professor of health behavior and health equity at the School of Public Health, senior adviser at Poverty Solutions and faculty associate in the Latina/o Studies Program.

“It’s clear from the debates that immigration enforcement will be used by both political parties to bring conservative and moderate voters to their side,” he said. “Democrats continue to reinforce the need for a border wall and Vice President Harris references her time as a prosecutor in which she put undocumented immigrants behind bars, a nod to her ‘law and order’ voters without using the phrase.

“Trump, meanwhile, is continuing with his fearmongering of immigrants, saying that immigrants are eating people’s pets and that Kamala is advocating for ‘transgender operations on illegal aliens that are in prison.’ While this language is shocking and not rooted in any observable truth, the strategy of dehumanizing immigrants—painting them as ‘savages,’ arguing for their biological inferiority, suggesting that they usurp gender norms, and implying that they overutilize public benefits on unnecessary medical procedures—has been apparent and utilized many times throughout the country’s history. This approach is foundational to the Trump campaign.”

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Kristina Fullerton Rico is a postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Racial Justice at the Ford School of Public Policy.

“In the midst of debates about immigration as a policy issue, the reality that immigrants are a vital part of U.S. communities is often lost. It is impossible to make generalizations about such a large group of people,” she said. “However, it is clear that immigrants contribute to the country in a variety of ways.

“Since 1986, the United States has restricted opportunities for people to migrate legally and to become permanent residents after migrating. Today, 11 million immigrants hold liminal or undocumented immigration statuses that negatively impact their lives and the lives of their families. Americans may be surprised to learn that one of the most significant penalties for this group of immigrants is the inability to travel in and out of the United States.

“What this means is that if undocumented or liminally documented immigrants travel to their countries of origin, they risk never being able to return to the homes and lives they have made in the United States.

“For most people, this is a risk that is too great to take, so they do not dare visit their parents, siblings and friends. Many of their children grow up without ever meeting their grandparents. As we approach 40 years without immigration reform that allows undocumented or liminally documented immigrants to become citizens, many immigrants are forced to mourn the deaths of their loved ones from afar.”

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