Four Friday Things: Events and Announcements
Get your book recommendations in, join me on campus at Syracuse on Monday, check out this Washington Post article, and save the date for an author discussion on Tuesday.
Happy Friday, everyone. This was another busy—and frankly, scary—week for immigration policy. Nevertheless, we made it to the end of the week. I believe that deserves a moment of celebration. Do something good for yourself today.
We are ending the week with some glimmers of good news. Juan Carlos Gomez-Lopez, a U.S. citizen held for immigration purposes in Florida, walked out of jail last night—thankfully—but it won’t be the last we’ve seen of that issue. Immigration litigation is developing more rapidly than anyone can keep up with, but one thing we know is that the courts are getting fed up with the Trump administration’s shenanigans. And we now know that Abrego Garcia, the man unlawfully sent to El Salvador, is alive. That shouldn’t have to count as a win—but after a week of speculation that he was already dead, at least we know that’s not the case.
But this post isn’t about new information. This is a hodgepodge post with a few announcements and upcoming events. Scroll on! 🔽
1. Recommendations for New Immigration Books Due This Weekend
This weekend is your last chance to get your books recommendations submitted for the semi-annual “New Immigration Book Reading List.”
Twice a year, I collect a list of recently published and forthcoming books about immigration and publish it as a reading list. This post has become one of my most anticipated posts and attracts a lot of readers, including people who don’t normally read my posts. It’s a great way to connect with other curious people and, if you’re an author, it’s a great way to ensure that your hard work pays off by connecting to more readers.
I will make one more pass over the comments in the post below to see if there is anything new that I missed. Get your recommendations in! But do it on the ‘call for recommendations’ below.
2. Join me In Person on Campus at Syracuse Next Monday
I am excited to return to Syracuse University’s campus in person on Monday to speak to students in class and present a campus-wide talk about the latest developments in immigration policy.
If you are on campus or in the area, please join me for the public talk at 4:00 pm with lots of time for question and answer. Although immigration policy is a hot topic, especially on college campuses, I believe we can navigate it together by adopting a commitment to well-reasoned discussion that is free of buzzwords and speaks honestly and compassionately to a variety of perspectives and experiences.
This event will be hosted old school! There will be no virtual option or recording.
3. Washington Post Mention on Detention Data
Back in November, I decided to lean into to public scholarship. I knew this would be a divisive period of our history and that immigration would be at the center of political debates. I am grateful for the outpouring of support that has kept this work going. As a result of this work and your support, this newsletter serves as a source of reliable data and analysis for academics, reporters, students, and policy analysts.
As evidence of this impact, I was fortunate to work with Douglas MacMillan at the Washington Post on a timely article about the growth of immigrant detention in the early weeks of the Trump II administration. Doug focuses specifically on the fact that the spike in detention is contributing to a worsening of living conditions at these facilities—a crucial topic that needs attention from our elected officials.
Hats off to Doug for a great article. Read it here: "Immigrants forced to sleep on floors at overwhelmed ICE detention centers.” Conditions are deteriorating as many detention centers approach capacity and the Trump administration closes two agencies overseeing health and safety at the facilities.
I am not a reporter and I don’t pretend to be. Reporters take a different approach than I do, and neither is better than the other. There are many things that reporters can do that I cannot—and I respect them for it.
My niche is explaining the backgrounds to, and research behind, the policies and practices of immigration enforcement as they unfold in real time and providing a foundation for others to reach even broader audiences. So if you want to be the first to get in-depth analysis and insights before they hit the mainstream news, consider subscribing.
Save the Date! Book Talk about the History and Power of Local Sheriffs with Jessica Pishko on Tuesday
As I wrote about earlier this week, the office of the county sheriff has a fascinating and disturbing history that stretches back to the colonial era (and before) and lays the groundwork for ICE’s latest expansion of enforcement authority under the 287(g) program.
When it comes to the office of the sheriff, Jessica Pishko literally wrote the book on it. The Highest Law in the Land: How the Unchecked Power of Sheriffs Threatens Democracy was published in September—and not a moment too soon!
Next Tuesday at 2:00 pm eastern, Jessica and I are going to sit down together for a virtual conversation about sheriffs—past and present—and you are invited. Watch for the full announcement and registration details tomorrow.
Have a great end to your week, everyone. Do something good for yourselves.
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