The continuing surge of immigrants across America’s southern border - thousands of men, women, children fleeing violence, mainly in Central America - constitutes a major social, economic and political crisis. It has become an increasingly contentious issue in the 2016 US Presidential election campaign, focusing more attention on the country’s failed efforts to enact long-promised immigration reform. This special Osher lecture will provide a first-hand examination of the roots of this crisis and suggestions for possible solutions by a prominent religious leader from the region.

MARTIN BARAHONA has been Bishop of the Anglican/Episcopal Church of El Salvador for 23 years. He has worked nationally and internationally with ecumenical, interfaith and civic groups to help overcome the violence and oppression in El Salvador. He will discuss causes of local disruption in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras and explain some of the efforts being developed to address the problems.