New virtual conversation series from the Center of the American West takes aim at one of the most contentious issues this election.

Immigration is one of the most polarizing issues of the upcoming U.S. presidential election. A new event from the Center of the American West and the Latinx Law Students Association at the University of Colorado Boulder, however, hopes to clear the air by assembling a panel of immigration experts—including Congressman Joe Neguse.

The virtual event, moderated by Patty Limerick, director of the center, will be held over two days and will explore solutions and resolutions to the challenging issue. One conversation will take place before the election, on Oct. 6 at 6:30 p.m., and the other will take place after the election, on Nov. 13 at noon.  

In addition to Neguse, the event’s speakers include Mary Mendoza, an assistant professor of history and Latino/a studies at Penn State University, and Tomás Jiménez, a professor of sociology and comparative studies of race and ethnicity at Stanford University.

“In the issue of immigration, ‘the Party of Practicality’ constitutes the true majority in the nation,” Limerick said. “With the issue of the effectiveness and expense of walls and fences, and with the issue of assimilation and legalization of people who have long resided in the United States, practicality and historical perspective are closely allied. This recognition will infuse our discussion on October 6 with good will and hope.”

Here are the questions that will drive this discussion:

• If Congress were able to reform immigration policy in a post-election arrangement of authority, what should be the top priorities for such reform? 
• What are the most beneficial ways to increase historical understanding to improve the quality of public discussion of immigration and to guide national legislators as they deliberate?
• What are the most notable mistaken impressions of the roles played by immigrants in the nation, and what are the most effective channels of communication for correcting those misapprehensions?

Event details include: