The Immigration Debate

The Immigration Debate
"We need to help students and parents cherish and preserve the ethnic and cultural diversity
that nourishes and strengthens this community - and this nation." Cesar E. Chavez
LEARN
Have students read the Los Angeles Times article either individually or in small groups on
pages 5-8 to set the context for the discussion. Discuss issues surrounding the current
Immigration Debate in our country highlighted in the article. On the T-chart on page 9, ask
students to outline the reasons various groups are either for or against changes to our
immigration policies. Answering the following questions may prove helpful in filling out the Tchart:
•
•
•
•
•
Why do people immigrate to the United States?
How does our immigration system work today?
What are some of the economic effects of immigration?
What jobs or industries do immigrant workers primarily work in?
Why is the issue of immigration uniting people “across religious, national, and ethnic lines”
(LA Times Article)?
• What were some of the political repercussions of Prop. 187 in California?
REFLECT
Using the information entered on the T-chart, ask students to share verbally their personal
opinion on the Immigration Debate.
Answering the following questions may prove helpful in generating discussion:
•
•
•
How many of you participated in a march, walkout, or other action regarding
immigration? Why or why not?
Will changes to our immigration system affect you and your family directly? If so, how?
Will changes to our immigration system affect people you know? If so, how?
Reflect upon the following quote as it relates to this discussion:
"We need to help students and parents cherish and preserve the ethnic and cultural
diversity that nourishes and strengthens this community - and this nation."
Cesar E. Chavez
CESAR E. CHAVEZ FOUNDATION
500 NORTH BRAND BLVD. SUITE 1650 GLENDALE, CA 91203
PHONE: 818 265 0300 FAX: 818 265 0312
www.cesarechavezfoundation.org info@cecfmail.org
SERVE
Use the discussion carried out during your “REFLECT’ time to provide a foundation for students
to turn their opinions into action by planning a community action project to voice their opinion on
the Immigration Debate. Use the Action Plan below to organize a project and check out the
suggested projects on page 10 for project ideas.
It might be helpful to contact local community organizations working on immigration issues to
discuss ways of connecting students’ work to broader community efforts. See list of community
organizations on page 15.
ACTION PLAN
IMAGINE
Who is our target audience? Who would we like our message to reach? Who do we want to hear
our voices?
What message would we like to share about immigration? Who are we? What are we about?
Why should they care?
What is our intended outcome of the project? What do we want to happen?
Description of the project:
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CREATE
Identify the steps you will take in carrying out this project:
Major Project Steps
Who will be
responsible for
What resources do
completing this step?
we need?
What is the
deadline?
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What challenges might we encounter along the way and how might we address them?
What types of ongoing reflection will we use to help us analyze our process and product and tell us
what worked, what didn’t, and how we can improve it?
How will we celebrate our success?
What might our next steps be after this project is completed?
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From the Los Angeles Times
THE STATE
500,000 Pack Streets to Protest Immigration Bills
The rally, part of a massive mobilization of immigrants and their supporters, may be the largest
L.A. has seen.
By Teresa Watanabe and Hector Becerra, Times Staff Writers
March 26, 2006
A crowd estimated by police at more than 500,000 boisterously marched in Los Angeles on
Saturday to protest federal legislation that would crack down on undocumented immigrants,
penalize those who help them and build a security wall along the U.S.' southern border.
Spirited but peaceful marchers — ordinary immigrants alongside labor, religious and civil rights
groups — stretched more than 20 blocks along Spring Street, Broadway and Main Street to City
Hall, tooting kazoos, waving American flags and chanting, "Sí se puede!" (Yes we can!).
Attendance at the demonstration far surpassed the number of people who protested against the
Vietnam War and Proposition 187, a 1994 state initiative that sought to deny public benefits to
undocumented migrants but was struck down by the courts. Police said there were no arrests or
injuries except for a few cases of exhaustion.
At a time when Congress prepares to crack down further on illegal immigration and selfappointed militias patrol the U.S. border to stem the flow, Saturday's rally represented a
massive response, part of what immigration advocates are calling an unprecedented effort to
mobilize immigrants and their supporters nationwide.
It coincides with an initiative on the part of the Roman Catholic Church, spearheaded by
Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, archbishop of Los Angeles, to defy a House bill that would make
aiding undocumented immigrants a felony. And it signals the burgeoning political clout of
Latinos, especially in California.
"There has never been this kind of mobilization in the immigrant community ever," said Joshua
Hoyt, executive director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. "They have
kicked the sleeping giant. It's the beginning of a massive immigrant civil rights struggle."
The demonstrators, many wearing white shirts to symbolize peace, included both longtime
residents and the newly arrived, bound by a desire for a better life.
Arbelica Lazo, 40, illegally emigrated from El Salvador two decades ago but said she now owns
two businesses and pays $7,000 in income taxes each year.
Jose Alberto Salvador, 33, came here illegally four months ago to find work to support the wife
and five children he left behind. In his native Guatemala, he said, what little work he could find
paid $10 a day.
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"As much as we need this country, we love this country," Salvador said, waving both the
American and Guatemalan flags. "This country gives us opportunities we don't get at home."
On Monday, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to resume work on a
comprehensive immigration reform proposal. The Senate committee's version includes
elements of various bills, including a guest worker program and a path to legalization for the
nation's 10 million to 12 million undocumented immigrants proposed by Sens. John McCain (RAriz.) and Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.)
In addition, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) has introduced a bill that would
strengthen border security, crack down on employers of illegal immigrants and increase the
number of visas for workers. Frist has said he would take his bill to the floor Tuesday if the
committee does not finish its work Monday.
Ultimately, the House and Senate bills must be reconc iled before a law can be passed.
President Bush has advocated a guest worker program and attracted significant Latino support
for his views.
In his Saturday radio address, Bush urged all sides of the emotional debate to tone down their
rhetoric, calling for a balanced approach between more secure borders and more temporary
foreign workers.
Largely in response to the debate in Washington, hundreds of thousands of people in recent
weeks have staged marches in more than a dozen cities calling for immigration reform.
In Denver, police said Saturday that more than 50,000 people gathered downtown at Civic
Center Park next to the Capitol to urge the state Senate to reject a resolution supporting a ballot
issue that would deny many government services to illegal immigrants in Colorado.
Hundreds rallied in Reno, the Associated Press reported.
On Friday, tens of thousands of people were estimated to have staged school walkouts,
marches and work stoppages in Los Angeles, Phoenix, Atlanta and other cities.
In addition, several cities, including Los Angeles, have passed resolutions opposing the House
legislation. At least one city, Maywood, declared itself a "sanctuary" for undocumented
immigrants.
Despite the significant opposition to the crackdown on illegal immigrants shown by the turnout in
recent rallies, a recent Zogby poll found 62% of Americans surveyed wanted more restrictive
immigration policies, and a Field Poll last month found that the majority of California voters
surveyed believed illegal immigration was hurting the state.
"Polling has consistently shown that Americans don't want guest workers or amnesty," said
Caroline Espinosa, spokeswoman for NumbersUSA, a Washington-based immigration control
group that says its e-mail list of 1 million and 140,000-member roster of activists have more than
doubled in the last year.
Espinosa said current levels of both legal and illegal immigration would push the U.S. population
to 420 million by 2050, "leading to a tremendously negative impact on the quality of life in the
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United States."
According to a U.S. Census Bureau survey a year ago, the nation's 35.2 million immigrants —
legal and illegal — represent a record number. California led the country with nearly 10 million,
constituting 28% of the state's population overall and one-third of its work force.
The swelling number of immigrants has clearly influenced the political calculus of those involved
in the issue, including political and religious groups. The Republican Party, for instance, is split
among those who want tougher restrictions, those who fear alienating the Latino vote and
business owners who are pressing for more laborers — mostly Latin Americans — to fill bluecollar jobs in construction, cleaning, gardening and other industries.
Some Republicans fear that pushing too hard against illegal immigrants could backfire
nationally, as with Proposition 187. Strong Republican support of that measure helped spur
record numbers of California Latinos to become U.S. citizens and register to vote. Those voters
subsequently helped the Democrats regain political control in the state.
"There is no doubt Proposition 187 had a devastating impact on the [California] Republican
Party," said Allan Hoffenblum, a Republican political consultant. "Now the Republicans in
Congress better beware: If they come across as too shrill, with a racist tone, all of a sudden
you're going to see Republicans in cities with a high Latino population start losing their seats."
The effects of the nation's growing Latino presence also are evident in religious communities.
This week, for instance, the president of the 30-million-member National Assn. of Evangelicals
is scheduled to issue a statement supporting immigration reform, including a guest worker
program. It will be in concert with the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, said
the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, conference president.
Rodriguez, whose Sacramento-based group serves the nation's 18 million evangelical Christian
Latinos, said it took "a lot of persuasion" to broker the joint statement with Ted Haggard,
president of the evangelicals group. Rodriguez said he warned the group that failure to support
comprehensive immigration reform would have long-term political repercussions.
Latino evangelical Christians voted for Bush at a 40% higher rate than Latinos overall, he said,
but they would probably turn away from conservative candidates and causes without support on
immigration.
"I had to do a lot of asking: Will Hispanics ever vote for conservative candidates again, or
partner with white evangelicals if they were silent while our brothers and sisters and cousins
were being sent out of the county on buses?" Rodriguez said.
Churches were just one force behind Saturday's rally.
Several immigrant advocates said that the ethnic media were a significant factor in drawing
crowds. News outlets repeatedly publicized it and even exhorted marchers to wear white shirts.
Churches announced the rally too. Although a police spokeswoman estimated the crowd at
500,000 based on helicopter surveillance, rally organizers said it was closer to 1 million.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa briefly addressed the rally.
"We cannot criminalize people who are working, people who are contributing to our economy
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and contributing to the nation," Villaraigosa said.
In contrast to demonstrations 12 years ago against Proposition 187, Saturday's rally featured
more American flags than those from any other country. Flag vendors were soon overwhelmed
by demonstrators holding out dollar bills.
Father Michael Kennedy, a longtime immigrant advocate and pastor of Dolores Mission Church
in Boyle Heights, said that past demonstrations were more heavily Mexican or Mexican
American, but the House bill had rallied protesters across religious, national and ethnic lines.
One was Korean immigrant Dae Joong Yoon, executive director of the Korean Resource Center
in Los Angeles. Yoon said the Korean community was more inflamed over the House bill than
Proposition 187 because it would penalize not only undocumented immigrants but also
businesses that hired them and anyone who helped them.
He said the Korean-language media has intensified coverage of the House bill in recent weeks.
"The Korean community is shocked and outraged over this inhumane legislation," Yoon said.
"Everybody would be affected by it."
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Comparison of Support and Resistance to
Immigration Reform
Support
Resistance
Business and
Industry
Community Organizations/Churches
Immigrant Workers
Government
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Letter Writing Campaign
Students organize a letter writing campaign either in support of or in opposition to immigration
legislation. Examples of current legislation include the Dream Act, HR 4437, and the KennedyMcCain Bill. Students may want to involve the local community and other organizations in their
campaign.
E-mail Campaign
Students organize an e-mail campaign either in support of or in opposition to immigration
legislation. Examples of current legislation include the Dream Act, HR 4437, and the KennedyMcCain Bill. Students may want to involve other organizations in their campaign or tap into
existing e-mail campaigns at http://www.ufw.org/reforma.
Teach-In/Speak Out
Students organize either one or several community teach-ins/speak outs to provide local
community members with relevant information on immigration and an opportunity to share their
opinions and thoughts about immigration. Students should identify an action community
members can take to express their opinions, for example call or write their elected officials who
are voting on immigration issues.
Door-to-Door Education Campaign
Students organize either one or several days where they walk door-to-door in the community
surrounding the school to provide residents with relevant information on immigration and
immigrant rights. Students may want to create their own brochure or use the brochure from the
ACLU on pages 11 to 14. Students should identify an action community members can take to
express their opinions, for example call or write their elected officials who are voting on
immigration issues.
Media Campaign
Students organize a press conference and/or letters to the editor either in support of or in
opposition to immigration legislation. Examples of current legislation include the Dream Act, HR
4437, and the Kennedy-McCain Bill. Students may want to involve the local community and
other organizations in their campaign.
If you have any questions or want to discuss your project in further detail please contact the
Chavez Foundation at (818) 265-0300 ext. 233 or via e-mail at jrodriguez@cecfmail.org.
Together, Sí Se Puede!
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Community Organizations
CARECEN
Elda Martinez
2845 West 7th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90005
(213) 385-7800 ext. 127
Fax (213) 385-1094
elda@carecen-la.org
www.carecen-la.org
CHIRLA
2533 W. Third St., Ste. 101
Los Angeles, CA 90057
(213) 353-1333
Fax (213) 353-1344
info@chirla.org
www.chirla.org
Korean Resource Center
Morna Ha
900 S. Crenshaw Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90019
(323) 937-3703 ext. 201
Fax (323) 937-3753
mha@nakasec.org
www.nakasec.org
United Farm Workers
Diana Tellefson
5313 E. Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90022
(323) 722-0118
(323) 722-8263
dianatellefson@hotmail.com
http://www.ufw.org/reforma
www.ufw.org
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IMMIGRATION PROJECT PROFILE FORM
Contact Information
Name of Organization: ______________________________________________________
Contact Person: _____________________________ Phone: ________________________
Address: ___________________________________ Fax:
________________________
___________________________________ E-mail: ________________________
___________________________________ Web:
________________________
Project Information
# Students Engaged ___________ Grade __________
Our participation was worthwhile
Yes_____ No ________
Brief Description___________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
**** Please Fax to Julie Chavez Rodriguez at 818-265-0312 ****
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