Thomas Dye
offers a simple definition of public policy: “Whatever governments choose to do
or not to do.” Thus public policy reflects actions governments undertake in
order to achieve their goals.
This definition
of public policy offers no judgment on whether the policy is fashioned
carefully or whimsically. It simply states that governments take action to
achieve results and this constitutes their public policy.
Clearly,
effective governments desire to carry out policies in a deliberative,
non-haphazard fashion. Before they take action, they need to understand the
underlying facts. They need to grasp fully environmental forces that will color
the actions they take, as well as environmental players that will be affected
by the actions. Finally, they need to enumerate alternative courses of action
available to them and to single out those that would best serve their
interests.
Public policy
decisions can be contentious, because they may create winners and losers, or
they may go against the cherished values of a portion of the population. In
2019, one of the most contentious public policy issues Americans have faced in
years was the Executive Branch policy on immigration, which included demands
that a wall be built to restrict illegal immigration from Mexico, as well as to
deport illegal immigrants, and to hold illegal immigrants in detention
(including children) as their cases are being processed.
At its heart, what were the basic public policy issues
the Executive Branch faced in regard to the matter of deporting illegal
aliens?
What specifically is the content of the Executive
Branch decision regarding the handling of illegal immigration from Mexico?
What rationale did the Executive Branch use to justify
its decision?
What were the principal points made by opponents of
this decision?
Critics of the Executive Branch efforts to stop
illegal immigration believe that the decision and actions undertaken were
politically motivated. What is the basis of their argument?
Identify three ways this issue might be resolved in
the long-run.
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