From detention centers to work permits to access to education, immigration continues to shape American life — and stir national debate. Policy changes across the country, including in our region, impact families, students, workers, and communities in deeply personal ways.

Civil Dialogues, in partnership with the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy, brings together a panel of policy experts, community leaders, and individuals with lived experience. The panelists offer a wide range of perspectives, including those who support the current administration’s immigration reform efforts, those who do not, and those who fall somewhere in between.

Through a conversation grounded in facts, compassion, and mutual respect, this program explores how immigration is influencing our schools, neighborhoods, businesses, and economic future in Kansas City and beyond.

The goal of Civil Dialogues is to foster understanding, not division. Attendees gain a deeper grasp of the complexities behind immigration and feel better equipped to engage in thoughtful, solutions-oriented conversations within their communities.