Goal: To gain a general understanding of United States immigration law and policy
Objectives:
- Students will learn about goals underlying U.S. immigration policy and will learn why U.S. immigration law encourages admission of certain categories of immigrants and discourages others
- Students will examine myths and facts related to immigration
- Students will compare past immigration policy to policies today
Materials:
Case Study 3.1: Immigrant and Refugee Journeys
Worksheet 3.1: Your Predictions Please!
Worksheet 3.2: Immigration Quotient (IQ) Quiz
Handout 3.1: Immigration Quotient Answers
Handout 3.2: Dispelling the Myths about Immigrants
Handout 3.3: Foreign-Born as a Percent of Total U.S. Population
Handout 3.4: Where Do Immigrants Come From?
Handout 3.5: Immigration and Other Nations
Handout 3.6: Immigration Law 101: The Basics
Student notebooks/journals
Time Frame: Three to four class periods
Age Level: Middle school to adult
Vocabulary: Citizen, alien, refugee, asylum, undocumented alien, former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) (now US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)) (post-INS agency responsible for benefits and adjudications), US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (USICE) (post-INS agency responsible for interior enforcement of immigration and customs issues such as detention, prosecution, deportation), US Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) (currently responsible for border controls of agriculture, customs and immigration, including border patrol and inspections), Lawful permanent resident (LPR), green card, visa, resettlement, migrant worker, deportation, removal, detention
Relevant Subject Areas and Connection to Minnesota High School Standards:
Social Studies: Diverse Perspectives, United States Citizenship Inquiry and Research: History Through Culture