Summary: Senator Jeff Merkley made headlines earlier this year when live video footage of his attempt to enter and inspect a detention center for child immigrants near the border of Texas and Mexico garnered over 1.1 million views in less than a day. An outspoken critic of the controversial treatment of migrant families across the southern border, Merkley is spearheading legislative efforts to establish nonnegotiable standards for the treatment of detained children and their families. In his new book, America Is Better Than This: Trump’s War Against Migrant Families, Merkley shares the story of how he, a senator with no background as an immigration activist, became a leading advocate for reform of the policies that have generated a humanitarian crisis along the border. His book embodies Merkley’s heartfelt and candid voice, and it includes his call for the American people to take a stand against what he considers calculated mistreatment of migrant families. Join us in welcoming Senator Jeff Merkley to The Commonwealth Club for an insightful conversation about the importance of approaching politics with compassion and reasonability.
