logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2024
27m 2s

America and… Migration

Bbc World Service
About this episode

How might Donald Trump or Kamala Harris try to tackle immigration to the US? People crossing the southern border has become a hot button topic in the next month’s election. Former president Donald Trump’s forceful policies have helped him motivate a base of loyal supporters. Whereas Vice-President Harris has had just weeks to convince Americans that she has a plan. What do we know about their policies, how they differ and what impact they would have?

Sumi Somaskanda speaks to our Mexico, Central America and Cuba correspondent, Will Grant. He explains why so many people are leaving the region and how the next president might impact its southern neighbours. And our politics reporter in Washington DC, Bernd Debusmann, helps us separate the facts from the headlines on one of the election's most contentious political issues.

You can listen to our other special episodes looking at the impact the US election might have around the world here:

America and... the World: https://link.chtbl.com/gqWrGSMT

America And... the war in Ukraine: https://link.chtbl.com/9pQYuDqP

America and... China: https://link.chtbl.com/CNFrjcPA

America and... Climate change: https://link.chtbl.com/zgemOWRX

The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at theglobalstory@bbc.com You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

Producers: Richard Moran, Eleanor Sly and Mariana Hernández Carrillo

Sound engineer: Mike Regaard and Ben Andrews

Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson

Up next
Nov 21
Is there a genocide of white South Africans as Trump claims?
<p>The US is essentially boycotting this weekend’s G20 summit in South Africa over accusations that the white Afrikaners are ‘being killed and slaughtered’ and that white farmers are having their land ‘illegally confiscated. The South African government say the claims are "widely ... Show More
31m 37s
Nov 20
What is Sudan’s war really about?
<p>** This episode contains some very distressing details, including of killings, sexual violence and the experiences of children in war** </p><p>More than 150,000 people have been killed and about 12 million have been forced from their homes since Sudan's civil war began in 2023 ... Show More
26m 37s
Nov 19
The oil lobbyist who tried to sink the first big climate deal
<p>The American lawyer, oil lobbyist and master strategist Don Pearlman is said to have chain-smoked his way through almost every UN climate gathering from the early 1990s until his death in 2005. </p><p>Some of those who saw Pearlman operate in Kyoto, where the first legally bin ... Show More
26m 38s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2025
Exporting America’s Immigration Problem
<p><i>Warning: This episode contains mentions of suicide.</i></p><p>Since President Trump took office, his plan to deport millions of undocumented people has kept running into barriers. That has forced the White House to come up with ever more creative, and controversial, tactics ... Show More
25m 46s
Nov 2024
"Trump’s Victory and the Future of American Politics: A Real Talk on the Upgrade America Podcast"
In this episode of Upgrade America, we dive deep into the post-election landscape and what Trump's second term could mean for the nation. We start by congratulating Trump and offering a blueprint on what he needs to do to truly upgrade America. From economic policy to immigration ... Show More
1h 22m
Oct 2024
Présidentielle américaine : la crise migratoire peut-elle faire gagner Donald Trump ?
En&nbsp;2023, plus de trois millions de personnes ont été interceptées par les autorités américaines à la frontière américaine avec le Mexique, avec un record historique de près de 250&nbsp;000&nbsp;personnes au cours du seul mois de décembre. Une crise migratoire sur laquelle Do ... Show More
21m 9s
Aug 22
Is Donald Trump losing his Latino base?
One of the biggest stories of last year’s presidential election was Donald Trump’s success with Latino voters which led him to win crucial swing states in the battle for the White House.While the Democrats still won the popular vote nationwide, there was no question that Trump’s ... Show More
27m 51s
Aug 21
How The Trump Admin Uses Immigration Policy To Show Force
As a candidate, Donald Trump campaigned on carrying out the largest mass deportation in U.S. history. As president, he's used immigration policy as a backdrop for other shows of force. We explore how he uses immigration as a political issue.This episode: senior White House corres ... Show More
14m 49s
Feb 2025
Rubio and Russia's Ukraine talks, Argentina's cuts and low-cost loophole challenge
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has arrived in Saudi Arabia ahead of expected talks with Russian officials aimed at ending Moscow's nearly three-year war in Ukraine. At the same time, Europe’s leaders are holding an emergency meeting to discuss the developments. The U.S. has ... Show More
12m 42s
Nov 12
US-Venezuela: Trump's largest warship arrives in Latin America region
One of the world's most advanced aircraft carriers has arrived in the waters off Latin America as President Donald Trump ramps up the US naval presence in the Caribbean Sea. He says the US military is firing on drug traffickers. So why does Venezuela say he's trying to bring down ... Show More
26 m
Jun 2024
Laura Gómez, "Inventing Latinos: A New Story of American Racism" (The New Press, 2020)
Latinos have long influenced everything from electoral politics to popular culture, yet many people instinctively regard them as recent immigrants rather than a longstanding racial group. In Inventing Latinos: A New Story of American Racism (The New Press, 2020), Laura Gómez, a l ... Show More
1h 3m
Apr 2025
100 Days of Trump (Part 3)… Who Is Welcome in America, Now?
This is a special Americast mini series, looking at five ways Donald Trump has changed America in his first 100 days back, as President of the United States. In this third episode, Matt Chorley joins Sarah and Anthony to discuss Trump’s plans to deport migrants on a large scale, ... Show More
13m 31s