Uncertain Horizons: Immigration in Wisconsin

Rhetoric from Trump’s administration insists that our nation’s immigrants are the “other” — but immigrants are foundational to the past, present and future of the United States.

This action project explores how Wisconsin’s key industries, educational institutions and cultural centers rely on the state’s immigrants and their families, and what happens when they are targeted.

Wisconsin immigrants are parents, children, workers and students. They’re the artists that push creative boundaries and challenge audiences. They’re the student athletes that don red and white to bring glory to the Wisconsin Badgers. They’re the backbone to Wisconsin’s agriculture. They’re the instructors that teach University of Wisconsin-Madison students languages they would not have access to otherwise.

Instead of celebrating this multiplicity, our federal government is eliminating research funding, cutting diversity-based scholarships and threatening to revoke student visas, throwing students’ lives and education into chaos.

Students fear now more than ever that their identity puts them at risk for arrest and potential deportation. They fear important education and job opportunities will be lost to them and that the federal government may close their program with the stroke of a pen.

Meanwhile, many refugee programs struggle to operate due to federal funding cuts, scrambling to provide answers to immigrants and refugees fearing the worst.

Still, there is hope. Community members at the campus, local and state level have stepped up to provide support where our government has not. Wisconsin religious organizations act as sanctuaries offering vital services for families. Local law firms are working tirelessly to make sure immigrants in their communities know their rights. And UW-Madison students are taking steps to ensure their campus is safe for students with immigrant backgrounds.

While there are uncertain horizons surrounding immigration policy, one thing remains clear: immigrants and their contributions cannot be erased. With resilience, solidarity and advocacy, we hope readers can appreciate how integral immigrants are to our state’s identity, education and workforce.

Francesca Pica, Editor-in-Chief

Ava Menkes, Managing Editor