Local Solutions & Implications for the National Immigration Debate
1) There are many theories and explanations about why immigration to the United States happens; you can learn more about them in “Why does Immigration Occur: A Theoretical Synthesis,” by Douglass Massey, in The Handbook of International Migration: The American Experience. Russell Sage, 1999.
2) Learn about the impact of immigration at the state and local level by reading the report "Assessing the Economic Impact of Immigration at the State and Local Level," by the Immigration Policy Center.
3) Certain negative images about Hispanic immigrants are especially prevalent in the media and in political campaigns. What have you heard immigrants compared to/associated with online or in the news?
4) Watch these campaign ads and think about how immigrants are portrayed:
5) Harvard Political scientist Samuel Huntington reinforced and provided academic credence to some of these images in his last book, Who Are We?: The Challenges to America’s National Identity. Simon & Schuster, 2005.
6) Are immigrants today learning English at rates that are comparable to immigrants who arrived during previous immigration waves? Consider Huntington’s arguments in light of recent research on immigrant integration:
7) Many local governments in new destinations have opted to enact punitive local ordinances to deal with immigrants, hoping that immigrants will “self deport.”
8) Make a list of the things that undocumented immigrants are held responsible for in the language of these ordinances. According to these ordinances, what will be accomplished by expelling immigrants from the community?
9) How successful have such local initiatives been?
10) Beyond the financial cost to enforce local immigration initiatives and defend them in court, can you foresee any other potentially costly development stemming from harsh local enforcement policies?
11) How do you think the children of immigrants growing up in communities with harsh local enforcement will assimilate into American society?
12) Look at El Sol’s latest quarterly report, available here.
13) How does El Sol address many of the fears associated with immigrants?
14) Is Jupiter a Sanctuary City? Are there cities that have gone beyond Jupiter’s efforts to “welcome” immigrants?
15) Have you heard of other centers similar to El Sol? Janice Fine, from the Economic Policy Institute researched worker centers across the United States. You can read her report "Worker Centers: Organizing Communities at the Edge of the Dream" here.
16) The National Day-Labor Organizing Network (NDLON) keeps track of organized day-labor sites. You can learn more about NDLON in the website www.ndlon.org
17) What organizations/groups are “the pillars” of El Sol?
18) Are there analogous groups in your community?
19) What role did each of the pillars play in the case of Jupiter? What does each contribute?
20) Why is the location of the building that houses El Sol important? Beyond its location, what other features of the building are important? Why? Could a center like El Sol be housed outdoors? What would be different?
21) What is the organization that represents the interests of day-laborers at El Sol?
22) How much input do workers have on the rules, regulations and operational procedures at El Sol?
23) Beyond workers, what is the other large and important constituency that comes to El Sol on a daily basis?
24) Has El Sol increased or decreased the quality of life for Jupiter residents?
2) Learn about the impact of immigration at the state and local level by reading the report "Assessing the Economic Impact of Immigration at the State and Local Level," by the Immigration Policy Center.
- How is your state doing?
3) Certain negative images about Hispanic immigrants are especially prevalent in the media and in political campaigns. What have you heard immigrants compared to/associated with online or in the news?
4) Watch these campaign ads and think about how immigrants are portrayed:
- Sharron Angle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJC_RmcO7Ts
- David Vitter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uvp0Jljh6U
5) Harvard Political scientist Samuel Huntington reinforced and provided academic credence to some of these images in his last book, Who Are We?: The Challenges to America’s National Identity. Simon & Schuster, 2005.
- You can read "The Hispanic Challenge" by Samuel Huntington-- it is a short article in Foreign Policy outlining the basic points of Who Are We?
6) Are immigrants today learning English at rates that are comparable to immigrants who arrived during previous immigration waves? Consider Huntington’s arguments in light of recent research on immigrant integration:
- Explore this report titled “Immigrants in the United States: How Well Are They Integrating into Society?” by T. Jimenez.
- Watch this webcast of a panel discussion on the findings of the report here (http://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/immigrants-the-united-states-how-well-are-they-integrating-society)
7) Many local governments in new destinations have opted to enact punitive local ordinances to deal with immigrants, hoping that immigrants will “self deport.”
- Review "Contested Ground: Immigration in the United States" by M. Jones-Correa. This report from the Migration Policy Institute details the growth in state and local-level enforcement initiatives.
8) Make a list of the things that undocumented immigrants are held responsible for in the language of these ordinances. According to these ordinances, what will be accomplished by expelling immigrants from the community?
- You can review the language of the Hazleton ordinance here (http://www.smalltowndefenders.com/node/6)
- You can review the language of the Riverside ordinance here.
9) How successful have such local initiatives been?
- Review "Unconstitutional and Costly," by G. Martinez from the Center for American Progress about local immigration enforcement initiatives.
10) Beyond the financial cost to enforce local immigration initiatives and defend them in court, can you foresee any other potentially costly development stemming from harsh local enforcement policies?
11) How do you think the children of immigrants growing up in communities with harsh local enforcement will assimilate into American society?
12) Look at El Sol’s latest quarterly report, available here.
- What is the annual value of the services El Sol provides to the town of Jupiter?
13) How does El Sol address many of the fears associated with immigrants?
14) Is Jupiter a Sanctuary City? Are there cities that have gone beyond Jupiter’s efforts to “welcome” immigrants?
15) Have you heard of other centers similar to El Sol? Janice Fine, from the Economic Policy Institute researched worker centers across the United States. You can read her report "Worker Centers: Organizing Communities at the Edge of the Dream" here.
16) The National Day-Labor Organizing Network (NDLON) keeps track of organized day-labor sites. You can learn more about NDLON in the website www.ndlon.org
17) What organizations/groups are “the pillars” of El Sol?
18) Are there analogous groups in your community?
19) What role did each of the pillars play in the case of Jupiter? What does each contribute?
20) Why is the location of the building that houses El Sol important? Beyond its location, what other features of the building are important? Why? Could a center like El Sol be housed outdoors? What would be different?
21) What is the organization that represents the interests of day-laborers at El Sol?
22) How much input do workers have on the rules, regulations and operational procedures at El Sol?
23) Beyond workers, what is the other large and important constituency that comes to El Sol on a daily basis?
24) Has El Sol increased or decreased the quality of life for Jupiter residents?
- You can review Jupiter citizen surveys here (http://www.jupiter.fl.us/index.aspx?NID=248)
We have done our best to provide good links, but if they do not work, the links below should take you directly to PDFs of the documents we reference above.
"Assessing the Economic Impact of Immigration at the State and Local Level"
"The Hispanic Challenge"
"Immigrants in the U.S.: How Well Are They Integrating into Society?"
"Contested Ground: Immigration in the United States"
Hazleton Ordinance
Riverside Ordinance
"Unconstitutional and Costly"
"Worker Centers: Organizing Communities at the Edge of the Dream"
"Assessing the Economic Impact of Immigration at the State and Local Level"
"The Hispanic Challenge"
"Immigrants in the U.S.: How Well Are They Integrating into Society?"
"Contested Ground: Immigration in the United States"
Hazleton Ordinance
Riverside Ordinance
"Unconstitutional and Costly"
"Worker Centers: Organizing Communities at the Edge of the Dream"
- Also see Janice Fine's book "Worker Centers"
