“Guest column: Immigration policy for those who don’t live on the border”

Read the full article here in the Portland Press Herald

The debate on illegal immigration, naturalization, and border security has always been present in the political sphere, but recent policy changes made by the Trump administration via executive order raise many logistical questions that are ignored in discourse. As a non-partisan policy researcher, I find the lack of nuance from many different political backgrounds, frankly, disturbing. In the spirit of the recently passed holiday celebrating national pride and being in this community, far removed from the southern border, I hope to draw some attention to both the topic of who really belongs in this country and to one policy area in particular: the non-sense, legal obstacles that prevent certain unauthorized immigrants from securing lawful permanent residence…..