The fight continues in Washington over President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall and the national emergency he declared to secure funding to build it. But the border wall is only one element of a prolonged battle and debate over immigration in this country — both legal and illegal.
Another issue that is yet to be settled is the fate of people in the country legally with DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status. The future of DACA, along with immigration policies that have separated families, will be the focus of a forum this weekend organized by the League of Women Voters.
Ed Fallone, an associate professor of law at Marquette University and a member of the Undocumented Students Task Force at the school, will be part of the panel. He says when it comes to the public discourse surrounding this issue, legal immigration is sometimes overlooked.
"Oftentimes, it’s about not blaming immigrants for failing to do something the law doesn’t permit them to do — and by the same token, not criticizing immigrants for doing exactly what the law allows them to do. So it really comes down to an understanding of our system," Fallone explains.
