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Document Type
Podcast
Publication Year
2025
Description
As the debate over immigration policy continues to unfold, the need for a more inclusive and humane system is clearer than ever. While short-term solutions like visa reform and border policy changes are critical, there must also be a long-term commitment to addressing the underlying causes of migration, such as global wealth inequality and systemic injustice. A truly inclusive immigration system must recognize and address the racial inequities that have long been embedded in U.S. policy. Immigration laws and policies have historically been shaped by racist ideologies, often privileging white European immigrants while marginalizing people of color from the Global South. Racial injustice within immigration policy manifests in many forms, from disproportionate detention rates for people of color to systemic discrimination against non-white applicants.
For any immigration reform to be meaningful, it must center on racial justice. This includes ensuring equal treatment for all applicants, regardless of race, nationality, or socioeconomic background. Immigration policy must also actively dismantle structures of racial discrimination, particularly in how enforcement is carried out. Detention practices, family separations, and other punitive measures disproportionately affect communities of color, particularly Black and Latinx immigrants.
A fair immigration system values the dignity and humanity of every person, regardless of their race or country of origin. As the U.S. continues to shape its immigration policies, racial justice must be a guiding principle — ensuring that policies do not replicate historical patterns of exclusion and harm. The future of immigration should be rooted in justice, dignity, and equality. This vision requires both immediate reforms to improve the U.S. immigration system and a long-term commitment to addressing the broader global issues of economic inequality and racial injustice.
Ultimately, these reforms will not only help immigrants but will also strengthen the U.S. by recognizing the contributions of diverse communities and fostering a more inclusive society. Addressing immigration in this way will allow for a future where migration is seen as a natural and positive phenomenon, rather than a problem to be feared and controlled.
Disciplines
Immigration Law | Law and Race | Race and Ethnicity
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Center/Program
Studio for Law and Culture
Recommended Citation
Acosta, Ashley; Dasari, Arjun S.; Washington, Jermaine; Greenwood, Brooke; Hylton, Donna; Solimene, Gemma; Ngai, Mae; and Cuison-Villazor, Rose, "CRT2 S4 Ep1: Echoes of History in the Future of Immigration: Revisiting the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965" (2025). CRT2 Season 4. 1.
https://scholarship.law.columbia.edu/crt2_4/1
Episode Details
Length: 38:04
Featuring:
Donna Hylton is an Author and Founder/CEO of A Little Piece of Light
Gemma Solimene is a an Associate Professor of Law at the Fordham University.
Mae Ngai is the Lung Family Professor of Asian American Studies and Professor of History at Columbia University.
Rose Cuison-Villazor is a Professor of Law at Rutgers University.
Production:
Written, edited, and produced by Ashley Acosta, Arjun S. Dasari, Jermaine Washington, and Brooke Greenwood.
A special thank you to our interviewees – Donna Hylton, Professors Rose Cuison-Villazor, Gemma Solimene, and Mae Ngai, our professors at Columbia Law School, Kendall Thomas and Flores Forbes, and our podcast production expert Michelle Wilson. Thank you as well to our classmates for their invaluable contributions.
Disclaimer: This podcast contains historical discussions and critical analyses of U.S. immigration policies and their effects. The views expressed by the guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or the institutions affiliated with this podcast.