Emily Sclafani, Dean for the Class of 2026 and Faculty Advisor for the D-E Political Discussions (D-EPD) Club, recently held an informational session in Hajjar Auditorium on immigration policy in America, attended by Upper School students and D-E faculty/staff. Ms. Sclafani began her interactive presentation with an acknowledgment that Americans often discuss immigration policy through the frame of polarization. “We make a lot of assumptions about what people who disagree with us think,” she said. Her goal with this session was to introduce basic information about how the immigration system is structured. She shared that just 3% of immigrants who applied for a green card in 2024 received one. “That’s a lower acceptance rate than Harvard, Princeton, Yale, or any of our nation’s most selective universities,” she added. 

Ms. Sclafani presented data that identified perception gaps on the issue from both Republicans and Democrats, which can lead to de-humanizing language and/or stoke outrage and political violence. In addition, she highlighted the historical doctrines (such as the National Origins Act of 1924 and the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965) that have impacted the values and goals driving immigration policy in the country. She also explained how decades of gridlock in Congress have frustrated immigration reformers on both sides of the political aisle. Ms. Sclafani concluded, “It’s a long and nuanced conversation and hopefully this is only the beginning.” Thoughtful, thought-provoking, and timely discussions such as this epitomize our ‘community of learners’ – thank you Ms. Sclafani and D-EPD Club!