Rogerian Argument

For several years, an increasingly contentious situation has brewed at the US-Mexico border. The southern border, the entry point for thousands of hopeful Latin Americans for decades, has also seen an influx of international migrants and refugees in the last year, including Russians, Syrians, Iraqis—and now, Ukrainians. Not surprisingly, Mexico has been overwhelmed by the arrival of hundreds of thousands of people at its border and the situation was exponentially worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2020, then-President Trump, fulfilling the promises of his anti-immigration platform, invoked Title 42, which allowed Border Patrol to prohibit the entry of people who potentially pose a health risk to the US population. In essence, the US government automatically denied asylum-seekers their legal right to apply for refuge. Coupled with Covid-19, immigration to the US—both legal and illegal—dropped. President Biden recently announced, however, that Title 42 will be rescinded in the coming weeks. This has brought condemnation from Republicans, including GOP governors along the border. Republicans, carrying on former President Trump’s zero tolerance approach to immigration, have rallied around the border to stir up their base and to woo frustrated voters. Democrats, elected on the promise of a more humane approach to immigration, on the other hand, are grappling with a situation spiraling further out of control. Conservatives argue that Title 42 kept immigration in check, while liberals often see it as an abuse of law. Specifically, what is to be done with Title 42? Should it be kept in place or should it be rescinded? Using a Rogerian Argument, propose a solution that bridges the divide on the Title 42 debate.

Instructions:

Your Rogerian Argument will not take the shape of a long-form essay. Instead, it will be divided into the six parts.

1. Decide your position on maintaining OR rescinding Title 42
2. According to your position, address each of the parts of a Rogerian (1. Overview of the Issue, 2. Summary of Opposing View, 3. Statement of Understanding, 4. Stating Your Position, 5. Statement of Contexts, and 6. Finding Common Ground) in a single individual paragraph.
3. Your Rogerian should utilize at least six sources. You may use three of the following to start your argument:

• “Everything You Need to Know About Title 42” (Washington Post)
• “Title 42 is Ending in May, but These Migrants Can't Wait That Long” (Time)
• “What’s Happening at the US-Mexico border in Seven Charts” (Pew Research)
• “Ending Racist Title 42 Order is Only First Step in Helping Asylum Seekers” (ILRC)
• “Why Title 42 Is at the Center of the Border Crisis” (National Review)
• “Ukrainians Have Arrived at the US-Mexico Border by the Thousands” (NPR)
• “What is Title 42, the COVID-19 Border Policy Set to End in Late May?” (CBS News)
• “Biden Made a Promise to Deviate from Trump's Immigration Policies—and Broke It” (MSNBC)

Required:

• MLA Style, plus works cited page 

 

Submission Window: Thu 4.21 - Tue 4.19 (via Canvas)