Crisis on the Border: Refugees and Undocumented Immigrants: ISBN 978-1-68282-737-6 / eBook: 978-1-68282-738-3
School Library Connection, January/February 2020
As the title suggests, this book defines and explains the current situation of refugees and undocumented immigrants in the United States. The title begins with the 2019 argument between President Trump and Speaker Pelosi over funding of a border wall and accompanying immigration policies. It then goes backwards to show how that moment came into being. The author gives a detailed history of United States immigration law and reform since the Reagan administration, showing that Presidents and politicians on both sides of the aisle have often shared the same points of view, which are not necessarily the ones held by their parties today. The book explains the causes for increased numbers of refugees and undocumented immigrants across our southern border. Also included are statistics on other groups who enter the country from elsewhere and a chapter with various solutions to the issue proposed by different groups. Language usage is simple and easy to comprehend. Additional features such as color photos, boxes highlighting specific information, and interviews with immigrants are scattered throughout. Numerous quotes by people on various sides of the issue are included. Source notes and a list of websites and organizations round out the resources provided.
Kyla M. Johnson, Librarian Teacher, NBCT, Farmington (New Mexico) High School
Recommended
Crisis on the Border: Refugees and Undocumented Immigrants: ISBN 978-1-68282-737-6 / eBook: 978-1-68282-738-3
Booklist, November 1, 2019
This timely and well-researched book covers illegal immigration and the crisis at the U.S.–Mexico border. It explains President Trump's administration's policies and provides advice from immigration experts. Additionally, it profiles actual undocumented immigrants; their stories make the struggle real to young readers who haven't experienced them. The text notes the waves of people that came to the U.S. border several times in 2018, offering explanations for why they arrived; it goes on to discuss asylum seekers, DACA, Dreamers, the sanctuary movement, and nonprofits with resources that could help immigrants and save the government money. Chapters explain the status, and probable outcome, of a bill like the proposed Agricultural Worker Program Act of 2019 and delve into how the verification program E-Verify is being used to track visa overstayers. Though a 2018 Gallup poll indicates that "65% of Americans believe Congress should find a solution to allow for undocumented immigrants to reside legally in the U.S.," partisan politics make solutions difficult. A well-sourced resource useful for report writers or young people who want to be informed.
— Sharon Rawlins
Crisis on the Border: Refugees and Undocumented Immigrants: ISBN 978-1-68282-737-6 / eBook: 978-1-68282-738-3
Kirkus Reviews, July 15, 2019
An examination of the humanitarian crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Divided into four chapters, with plentiful color images and informative sidebars, this broad dive into recent immigration issues looks at Latin American migrants who risk everything in an attempt to start over in the U.S. and the Trump administration's efforts to curb and deter the flow of refugees. Readers first learn about the much publicized 2018 migrant caravan from Central America: Hondurans and others braved a dangerous journey to the border near Tijuana in search of asylum in the U.S. and an escape from the violence ravaging Central America. The sheer size of the migrant caravan led to the failure of an ill-equipped U.S. response that exposed an aggressive anti-immigration agenda, exemplified by President Donald Trump's zero tolerance policy and the administration's subsequent response to the widespread backlash against the separation of parents and children. Despite the comprehensive inclusion of differing perspectives, including an enlightening passage by an immigration judge, the author falls short of condemning the Trump administration's policies, possibly normalizing some of the rhetoric coming out of the White House. This accessible overview excels by dedicating space for words from migrants, refugees, and Dreamers stuck in a stifling bureaucratic limbo. A final chapter on potential paths for change offers some glimmer of hope. A generous, if flawed, survey of a complex, knotty issue. (source notes, resources, further research, index, picture credits) (Nonfiction. 14-19)