Julia Preston’s piece is a thorough walkthrough of what immigration policy can look like under Trump (and now we know the outcome of the election, which was not the case when the piece was written). She accurately describes Trump’s vision of immigration as one that fails to recognize the importance of the contributions of immigrants to this country. She also details the extent of the devastation which could be caused by Trump’s proposed policy of mass deportations.

However, I slightly disagree with Preston’s assessment that Trump and Harris have a narrowing gap on immigration “on the surface” and that Harris’ track record and policy proposals are actually a practical way to address a problem rather than a draconian strategy of enforcement. Harris did move right on immigration. During a CNN Town Hall just weeks before the election, she refused to directly answer a question on whether she supports the border wall due to her support for the bipartisan immigration bill which earmarks funding for it (despite calling it stupid when Trump initially proposed it). Preston also correctly highlights inaccuracies in public perception of immigration enforcement under Trump and under Biden, but this doesn’t change the fact that Harris does support some elements of Trump’s border policy. Preston also mentioned that Harris’ support of the Senate bill is mainly tactical to show that she is willing to compromise and work across the aisle, and can also be the tougher border cop. Unless there was a substantial difference between what she was saying publicly at town halls and rallies and what she was telling advisors privately, it seems that her support for this bill is more than just tactical.

I know the articles on structure are for class, but I liked this quote from the New Yorker piece: “To lack confidence at the outset seems rational to me. It doesn’t matter that something you’ve done before worked out well. Your last piece is never going to write your next one for you.” I was also reflecting on the “considerable tension between chronology and theme” and that chronology usually wins. Even when quoting sources, I often find it easier to start with chronological order then move quotes around based on theme.