Immigration reform will be the topic of a panel discussion hosted by the Guarini Institute for Government and Leadership at Saint Peter's University next week in Jersey City.

The Feb. 16 symposium, entitled "Comprehensive Immigration Reform: Seeking a Path to Citizenship" will focus on President Trump's seismic move to ban travel from seven predominantly Muslim countries for 90 days.

Trump's Jan. 27 executive order, which also suspends the United States' refugee intake for four months and indefinitely bars Syrian refugees from entering the country, has since been temporarily blocked by a federal judge, whose ruling was then upheld this week by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.

The expert panel will comprise Anna Brown, chair and professor of political science at Saint Peter's University; Rolando Lavarro, the Jersey City Council president; Ahmed Shedeed, director of Islamic Center of Jersey City; and Rev. Timothy Graff from the Archdiocese of Newark. 

Leila Sadeghi, the executive director of the non-partisan public policy center at Saint Peter's, said the topic of the discussion was selected back in November, but has taken on increased importance in light of Trump's controversial executive order. 

"I think collectively it's caused an unsettling effect on millions of people because they don't know where they stand. You have all of these people in limbo," Sadeghi said.  

The discussion will be held in the university's Duncan Family Sky Room at 47 Glenwood Ave. from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Click here to register. 

The Guarini Institute will host a similar panel on New Jersey homeland security on March 7.

"Our focus is bringing issues to light and finding solutions collectively," Sadeghi added.

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