IMMIGRATION

I. A Nation of Immigrants A) Prior to 1920, USA had open immigration--- anyone who could afford to come here was allowed into USA for the most part

B) Today, competition for jobs and housing along with increased crime and diversity has many Americans calling for end to immigration

II. What do we do about the Immigration issue? A) Is Globalism Fueling Immigration? – 1) Push vs. Pull a) Pull Factors – 1) People are “pulled” toward wealthy nations because our lifestyle, culture, values, and customs seem superior. » a) People come for a taste of the good life

b) Push Factors – 1) Many people move to USA because their old nation cannot support them due to bad economy and social conditions (they don’t want to leave but have to in order to survive)

2) Should immigrants get the same rights as us? – a) Many people say immigration should be limited 1) they take our jobs 2) they take or benefits 3) they cause strain on our natural resources

b) Others say we need immigrants – 1) they bring new ideas – 2) they provide labor for jobs we don’t want to do anyway – 3) their birthrates keep our nation growing rather than declining (like Europe)

Go to Page 159 in packet Do numbers 1 and 2

3) Do Immigrants cause culture problems? – a) USA and Britain are primarily white, Christian nations – b) many immigrants and non-white and non-Christian

c) Many people want immigrants to assimilate and become more like us and lose their cultural differences.

(Read to class Many immigrants call assimilation racist

4) How do we solve the immigration problem? – a) Build a fence between US and Mexico? 1) US-Mexican border is 2000 miles long! (current fence is 800 miles long)

b) Open Immigration? – 1) let anyone who wants to come, come. (just like when great grandma and grandpa came!)

c) Guest Worker Program? – 1) all immigrants can apply for work permit (called visa) that is good for three years – 2) US employers must: a) give proof of employment form to immigrant b) pay for the visa c) show proof that the job couldn’t be filled by “American workers” d) make visas available to both people in other nations AND illegal immigrants already here

3) Criticisms of Guest Worker Plan – a) can’t be enforced---how do you PROVE Americans couldn’t do the job? – b) Rewards lawbreakers by giving them legal status (called “backdoor amnesty”)

d) Punish Employers who hire illegal immigrants – 1) give heavy fines to businesses to discourage them from employing illegal immigrants

e) Promote Free Trade – A) by bolstering other nations’ economies we can remove the “push” for them to come here for jobs.

f) Promote social justice – 1) By encouraging democracy and helping improve other nations we reduce the “pull” of our nation and people will want to stay in their own countries

Assignments: – 1) Read “Borders Beyond Control” page , do #1-4 – 2) Read “Guide for the Mexican Migrant” pg , do #1-5 – 3) Read Summarize arguments in both articles and then compare and contrast (MINIMUM ONE PAGE— TURN IN) 4) YOU DECIDE—Page 255 (Payne)