Politics of Immigration: Law and Policy Discussion Panel

Panel: 6:30 p.m. SURC 137 A/B Free | Open to the public Monday night there will be a panel on the Politics of Immigration: Law and Policy. The panel is intended to discuss and educate the community on understanding the legal, political and personal ramifications of immigration law and policy. The public is invited enjoy complimentary refreshments and listen to some of Washington state’s most knowledge individuals talk about the current politics of immigration. Chuck Reasons, Professor of Law and Justice, will be moderating the evening discussion. There will be four individuals with extensive knowledge on the immigration system on the panel to give their expert opinion. Mirta Laura Contreras is the Directing Attorney at the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project. She’s held various jobs in the Washington State public interest law system over the last 19 years before she started working in her current position. Carmen Méndez is a Yakima City Councilmember for District 3. She was born in Yakima but raised in Colima, Mexico. She currently serves as the Executive Director of Safe Yakima Valley, which is a coalition to promote a safe community. Rodrigo Renteria-Velencia is an assistant professor in the Anthropology department. He teaches environmental anthropology and has spent time in the Gulf of California studying indigenous societies. Gilberto Garcia is a Political Science professor at CWU and he focuses on the political and economic conditions in the Latino community and the impact of Chicano civil rights movement.