Emerging Immprof: Keynote

WSJ writer Alicia Caldwell and immprof Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia

The keynote for the 5th Biennial Emerging Immigration Scholars Conference was truly unique. Instead of listening to a prepared speech, we were treated to a thoroughly entertaining Q&A session between Wall Street Journal writer Alicia Caldwell and immprof Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia — all while munching on some pretty delectable Mediterranean cuisine.

Alicia asked Shoba a series of questions about myriad current immigration topics: asylum, Remain in Mexico, DACA, TPS, prosecutorial discretion, nationwide injunctions, and the APA. It was a fantastic refresher on current events.

In the Q&A following their Q&A, Alicia gave us immprofs a number of tips about speaking with reporters (“answer the call” but know that “you guys set the rules”; be clear about whether you’re offering background or an on-the-record quote) and dealing with bad actors (“If a reporter burns you, don’t talk to that reporter again”).

I surely hope that future immprof conferences will consider a similar format. It kept things interesting and we all learned a lot from Alicia’s participation.

-KitJ