Dr. King’s Dream and the Door on the Golden Shore: Reflections on Immigration on MLK Day

On this day as we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, it’s crucial to remember the echoes of his fight for justice in the ongoing struggle for immigration rights. While separated by decades and seemingly distinct issues, the threads of equality, dignity, and a beloved community bind these movements together. Dr. King’s dream wasn’t…
Read More

Holocaust Remembrance Day and Why it Must Serve as a Lesson for our Immigration Policies

Since becoming an UN recognized memorial day in 2005, January 27th has marked International Holocaust Remembrance Day. A day to commemorate the genocide of 6 million European Jews by the Nazis during World War II. The date of January 27th was chosen because it was the day Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest of the Nazi concentration camps,…
Read More

Immigrants and Pan American Aviation Day

When most people picture the arrival of immigrants in the United States, they might think of a ship arriving in New York, the sight of the Statue of Liberty in the distance, and eventually processing through Ellis Island. Although that may have been the case over a century ago, today, the vast majority of immigrants…
Read More

A Holiday By Immigrants: Columbus Day

Since 1792, Americans have celebrated Columbus Day in one form or another. The now federally recognized holiday marks Christopher Columbus’s first voyage to the New World in 1492. Many Americans view this day as just that, a holiday to recognize the accomplishments of a man who ushered in the age of exploration while laying the…
Read More

Damon Keith’s Impact on Immigration

Last Sunday, Federal Judge, Civil Rights icon, and Detroit native Damon Keith passed away at the age of 96. Throughout his long and prolific career, his judicial opinions touched everything from housing segregation to school integration. Yet, it was his efforts to keep the U.S. Immigration Court system just and transparent that remain some of…
Read More
Chinese_Japanese_Exclusion_Act

A Brief Look at the Chinese and Japanese Exclusion Acts

Japanese immigrants being inspected by American customs officers During the California Gold Rush of the 1850’s, millions of individuals converged from around the world, leading to massive amounts of immigration, the resurgence of the American economy, and conflict.  Arguably, the bulk of the immigrants that endured the most conflict at this time were the Chinese…
Read More