Monday, April 11, 7-9pm, Columbus Mennonite Church, 35 E. Oakland Park Ave.

Today’s program: a presentation by geographer Austin Kocher

During the first week of 2016, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security arrested dozens of families from Central America and deported them back to Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, creating a climate of fear throughout immigrant communities. What are the stories behind these raids? What is the U.S.’ legal and ethical responsibility to asylum seekers? What do the upcoming elections mean for undocumented immigrants? What can advocates of peace and non-violence say, do, or think about regarding these raids? Geographer Austin Kocher will facilitate a discussion of these questions and more using his research and experience of working with immigrants both in Ohio and along the U.S.-Mexico border. Austin is a doctoral student at OSU. As a geographer, his research focuses on power, space, and law in contemporary U.S. immigration enforcement.