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For many Nevada voters, immigration is their top issue, but often misunderstood

Hundreds of migrants gather along the border wall Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023, in Lukeville, Ariz.
Ross D. Franklin
/
AP
Hundreds of migrants gather along the border wall Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023, in Lukeville, Ariz.

Nevadans have different reasons for how they’ll vote in the fall presidential election. There’s inflation, preservation of democracy, now preservation of NATO, and the war in Gaza, to name a few.

But one issue keeps coming up in polls as a big concern for everyone: immigration.

In Nevada and many states, changes in immigration policy can impact labor needs in tourism and construction; it can impact housing markets and social services and public services.

Someone who has been at the forefront of the issue is Alan Bersin. He’s the former commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection under President Barack Obama. He was also the assistant secretary for policy and chief diplomatic officer for the Department of Homeland Security, and he’s one of the authors of “Migration at the US-Mexico Border: A challenge decades in the making.”


Guest: Alan Bersin, former commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection under President Barack Obama and assistant secretary for policy and chief diplomatic officer, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

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Paul serves as KNPR's producer and reporter in Northern Nevada. Based in Reno, Paul specializes in covering state government and the legislature.