Four undergraduate poli sci majors (Austin Lyttle, Isabel Lozoya, Zulma Castelan Balbuena, and Sabra Woodward) and two political science graduate students (Robert Wilson and Julio Rodriguez) attended the fifth Texas Network for the Study of Public Issues, hosted by the American Public Philosophy Institute at the University of Dallas from Friday, September 27-Saturday, September 28.
The seminar centered on the contemporary debates concerning legal and illegal immigration. Speakers included Paul Hunker, the Chief Counsel for the Dallas Immigration and Custom Enforcement, who provided a summary of United States federal law and an overview of ICE’s responsibilities; Liz Cedillo-Pereira, the Chief of Equity and Inclusion for the City of Dallas, who addressed the positive contributions of immigration; and Kevin Roberts, the Executive Director of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, who praised immigration but condemned illegal immigration. Other presenters included James F. Hollifield of Southern Methodist University, Kevin Stuart of the Austin Institute, Christopher Wolfe of the University of Dallas, and Susan Hanssen of the University of Dallas. More than forty students attended representing a variety of universities from around the state including the University of Texas at Austin, Baylor University, Southern Methodist University, Houston Baptist University, the University of St. Thomas (Houston), and Tarleton State University. Dr. Thomas Varacalli was the faculty chaperone for the event. If you are interested in attending future TNPSI events, please contact him at tfv2@txstate.edu.
