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The impact of new immigration laws, access to health services, law enforcement and Arizona's cultural climate will be discussed.

By Rebecca Ruiz-McGill, University Communications
October 2, 2008

The University of Arizona's Binational Migration Institute invites the public to an open forum titled "What You Taught Us About Migration and Health" being held Saturday.

The Binational Migration Institute, or BMI, is an interdisciplinary collaboration of UA faculty, students and staff. Established in 2004 as part of the Mexican American Studies and Research Center, BMI has engaged communities under stress from immigration regulation in dialogue.

The forum is part of a plan BMI collaborators have to present research projects related to migration and health issues in South Tucson neighborhoods, as well as border communities across the state. The forums will be delivered in both English and Spanish.

"One key issue addressed will be immigrant and border communities' access to healthy and secure environments," said Colin Deeds, program coordinator for the UA's Latin American Studies program. "This issue, among many others, has become increasingly important in light of amplified immigration enforcement along the U.S.-Mexico border. Our main purpose is to take the information back to the communities from which it came, in an open and family-oriented environment."  

The forum will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the El Pueblo Neighborhood Center, 101 W. Irvington Road. Snacks, refreshments and child care - provided by students from the UA Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health - will be offered throughout the day. In addition, information packets will be distributed and representatives from various community service organizations will be on hand to answer questions.

"Knowing the facts about immigration, communities and health care is an important first step in dealing with these issues and is reflected in the speakers we selected and their research," added Deeds.

The day's events include a presentation from Kraig Beyerlein, UA assistant professor of sociology, who will present data on public opinion on border and immigration issues.

Beyerlein will be presenting preliminary analysis of public opinion data based on a random sample of people in six Arizona counties including the state's largest county, Maricopa. His data focused on attitudes toward border and immigration policies and issues such as support for or opposition to citizen patrol groups, humanitarian aid for migrants in the desert, employer sanctions, law enforcement, and student funding to assess the state's broader political and cultural climate.

"We are meeting with community members to share the research that is going on at the UA and to learn how our research could better serve the community. I hope that my research will connect with the lived experiences of residents and facilitate a larger discussion about the role of context for community action," Beyerlein stated.

In addition to Beyerlein and other researchers, Cecilia Rosales, UA associate professor of public health, will speak on the effects Arizona's new immigration laws have had on immigrant communities and access to health resources. Anna O'Leary, UA adjunct lecturer with Mexican American Studies, will present on immigration and its effects on family separation. 

The event is sponsored by the BMI, the Mexican American Studies and Research Center, the Center for Latin American Studies and the College of Pubic Health.