From day one of his presidential campaign, Donald Trump has directed his ire at Mexico and raised questions about the motives and character of Mexicans seeking a life in the United States.

As President, that focus on Mexico has only intensified. Trump frequently disparages the Mexican government, he’s strips away what little legal protections existed for young migrants and created new agencies entirely focused on amplifying news about crimes committed by immigrants.

This week on Wake we’re going behind the headlines – and definitely behind the Tweets – to look at how the current political climate is changing what it means to be an immigrant in the United States.

Helping us do that are:

• Andrew Selee, president of the Migration Policy Institute
• Ana Raquel Minian, assistant professor of history and comparative studies in eace and ethnicity, Stanford University, author, “Undocumented Lives: The Untold Story of Mexican Migration.”
• Alexis M. Silver, associate professor of sociology, SUNY Purchase College, author, “Shifting Boundaries: Immigrant Youth Negotiating National, State and Small Town Politics.”

If you enjoy this discussion, follow Wake on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send an email to [email protected].

Taped: April 6, 2018

Hosted by Luke Vargas.