Biden presses for an immigration fix

+ 'Oppenheimer' is a lost opportunity US Edition - Today's top story: Biden defends immigration policy during State of the Union, blaming Republicans in Congress for refusing to act [View in browser]( US Edition | 8 March 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [How U.S. asthma meds got so expensive]( - [Learning how hammerhead shark embryos develop]( - [Test your smarts with our news quiz]( Lead story What’s the current state of the union? Listening to President Joe Biden give this annual presidential speech last night, it appears to be a roller coaster of high highs and low lows. There’s economic growth and prosperity, and there’s also the risk of democracy crumbling. Biden’s sweeping address was a mishmash of many issues − including the economy, reproductive rights and U.S. involvement in foreign wars − that are weighing on the country in the lead-up to the presidential election. Biden also called for immediate congressional action on a bipartisan immigration bill that failed to pass the Senate this year, but that he says is necessary for addressing surging border crossings. There’s a reason why [immigration has become a top concern for Americans](, explains immigration legal scholar Jean Lantz Reisz of the University of Southern California. And there are also clear limits to what the president alone can do to respond to immigration challenges. “The president’s power regarding immigration is limited to enforcing existing immigration laws. But the president has broad authority over how to enforce those laws,” Reisz explains in today’s top story. [[How faith and religion drive the world. Sign up for our weekly newsletter, This Week in Religion.](] Amy Lieberman Politics + Society Editor President Joe Biden delivers his State of the Union address on March 7, 2024. Alex Brandon-Pool/Getty Images [Biden defends immigration policy during State of the Union, blaming Republicans in Congress for refusing to act]( Jean Lantz Reisz, University of Southern California A rising number of Americans say that immigration is the country’s biggest problem. Biden called for Congress to pass a bipartisan border and immigration bill during his State of the Union. Economy + Business - [Asthma meds have become shockingly unaffordable − but relief may be on the way]( Ana Santos Rutschman, Villanova School of Law An inhaler that costs nearly $300 in the US goes for just $9 in Germany. What gives? - [Teenagers often know when their parents are having money problems − and that knowledge is linked to mental health challenges, new research finds]( Jamie Hanson, University of Pittsburgh A study of more than 100 teens and their caregivers showed a unique link between hardship and behavior problems. - [UAW’s Southern strategy: Union revs up drive to get workers employed by foreign automakers to join its ranks]( Bob Bussel, University of Oregon Despite intermittent efforts over the past three decades, the UAW union has been unable to organize employees of foreign-based automakers in states such as Alabama and Tennessee. Education - [What families need to know about how to safely store firearms at home]( Kerri Raissian, University of Connecticut; Jennifer Necci Dineen, University of Connecticut Research shows that more children have handled household guns than their parents think. Science + Technology - [Immune cells can adapt to invading pathogens, deciding whether to fight now or prepare for the next battle]( Kathleen Abadie, University of Washington; Elisa Clark, University of Washington; Hao Yuan Kueh, University of Washington When faced with a threat, T cells have the decision-making flexibility to both clear out the pathogen now and ready themselves for a future encounter. - [Rare access to hammerhead shark embryos reveals secrets of its unique head development]( Gareth J. Fraser, University of Florida Because hammerhead sharks give birth to live young, studying their embryonic development is much more complicated than harvesting some eggs and watching them develop in real time. Environment + Energy - [Detroiters more likely to support local solar power development if they think it reduces energy prices for their community]( Douglas Bessette, Michigan State University; Jacob White, Michigan State University Detroit’s plan to install solar panels in city neighborhoods may conflict with residents’ desires to see lower energy bills and more housing. Politics + Society - [Femicide in Italy: A modern phenomenon deeply rooted in country’s cultural past]( Julia Khrebtan-Hörhager, Colorado State University A spate of recent high-profile murders has put focus on the role of patriarchy and misogyny in persistent rates of anti-woman violence in Italy. Arts + Culture - [‘Oppenheimer’ is a disappointment − and a lost opportunity]( Naoko Wake, Michigan State University For all its praise, the film furthers the dominant narrative of the bombs as a morally fraught but necessary project, with American anxieties playing a starring role. - [Centuries after Christine de Pizan wrote a book railing against misogyny, Taylor Swift is building her own ‘City of Ladies’]( Jill R. Fehleison, Quinnipiac University By compiling stories about the accomplishments of women, Christine set out to build an allegorical city where women and their achievements would be safe from sexist insults and slander. Trending on site - [How Florida’s home insurance market became so dysfunctional, so fast]( - [Titanosaurs were the biggest land animals Earth’s ever seen − these plant-powered dinos combined reptile and mammal traits]( - [The Anthropocene is not an epoch − but the age of humans is most definitely underway]( The Conversation Quiz 🧠- Here’s the first question of [this week’s edition:]( Joe Biden and Donald Trump nearly swept the Super Tuesday voting, but Trump failed to carry one state and Biden failed to carry one territory. Which state and territory were they? - A. Georgia and Guam - B. Vermont and American Samoa - C. California and the District of Columbia - D. Maine and Puerto Rico [Test your knowledge]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? 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