The Changing Face of American Immigration

Assessing the U.S. policies and attitudes since the 1965 Immigration Act

In this unit, 11th graders will analyze the major political and demographic shifts in U.S. immigration over the past 50 years. Examine

the slides and evaluate the videos, graphs and pictures. Study the questions carefully – you’ll discuss them with your classmates. After this

presentation, here’s what you’ll do:

1.Meet with your six-member team and pick one question (from slide 9). Start a Twitter discussion using the hashtag #TrippHistoryImmigration (instructions on slide 8). Your classmates will post responses. Be creative and respectful.

2.After a question has been posted to Twitter, that question is no longer available. Pick a different question and start your team’s discussion.

3.Make sure your team responds to at least three other teams. If a team already has three responses, look for a team that has no responses. We want to engage everyone.

A More Diverse America: The 1965 Immigration Act50 years ago, immigration to the U.S. was difficult for most non-Europeans. That changed when President Lyndon Johnson signed the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act.

1) Johnson signed the bill in the context of the Civil Rights Movement. He wanted to stop immigration based on nationality or ethnic background.

2) After the bill became law, U.S. immigration became more diverse and inclusive.

3) Immigration has been controversial for much of our nation’s history. But it’s important to remember that most American families immigrated here at one point in time.

4) Most immigrants contribute to our communities and make them better places.

5) This video from Central Washington University offers a brief examination of the 1965 act that changed immigration.

Immigration Growth and ControversySince 1965, large amounts of immigrants to the U.S. have arrived from Asia and Latin America – most from Mexico. That has created diversity and controversy.

1) Many Americans think immigration is too high, others think it should be higher.

2) A major debate involves people immigrating illegally. Between 1990 and 2011, the number of people in the country illegally grew from 3.5 million to 11 million.

3) Protesters like the ones below want a “path to citizenship” for people here illegally. Others think that would be a mistake. They believe it would encourage more illegal immigration and reward people who broke the rules.

(Source: Pew Hispanic Center)

Growing immigration and the 1986 Immigration ActLegal and illegal immigration soared in the decades after the 1965 act. By the mid 1980s, three to five million people were in America illegally. To deal with the issue, a new law was signed by President Ronald Reagan in 1986 called the Immigration Reform and Control Act.

1) The act allowed some people to stay in the U.S. who had entered illegally.

2) The chart below shows legal immigration over the decades. The spike in the chart illustrates that many people achieved legal status under the 1986 act.

3) Many said the 1986 act didn’t work. Critics noted that illegal immigration kept rising and enforcement was not tightened. Supporters said the act didn’t help future immigrants.

(sources: Migration Policy Institute & Department of Homeland Security)

The Immigrant ExperienceLet’s take a break for one minute to remember

what this is all about: Immigration is more than just a move. It’s a journey that involves

leaving home and traveling to a new and often unfamiliar land. Even if the destination is a

nice place like the U.S., immigrating can still be a difficult choice. Close your eyes and listen to this song and imagine what it would be like

to leave home for a new country.

A Sudden SlowdownOver the past seven years, illegal forms of immigration have actually slowed down on the U.S./Mexico border. The Pew Hispanic Center says it may have even reached a “net zero” level. That means an equal number of people have likely crossed the border back into Mexico. There are a number of likely reasons.

1) Policy: There is more money being spent in the U.S. to keep people from immigrating illegally. More federal agents are guarding the border. Also, there’s a bigger border fence and there are more deportations than ever before.

2) Economy: Starting in 2008, the U.S. economy began to shrink dramatically. Labor jobs like construction that often employ immigrants were harder to find.

3) Mexico: The Mexican economy has been gradually improving, giving Mexican citizens less reason to make the often dangerous journey across the border.

The Politics of Immigration: Present and FutureImmigration is growing as an important political issue. In 2012, President Barack Obama received the vast majority of votes cast by Latino and Asian citizens. That year, Latinos accounted for 10 percent of all votes. Many of them were concerned about immigration.

1) The large Latino vote helped Obama win the race against Governor Mitt Romney.

2) Obama supports a proposed law to let many immigrants gain legal status even if they’re here illegally. Romney opposed that idea during the campaign.

3) In 2012, 12 million Latinos cast ballots. That number should rise to 28 million by 2016.

4) Regardless of which side you’re on, immigration continues to be a major topic in American politics. And it will likely be a source of more debate for years to come.

(Source: Migration Policy Institute)

Get Ready to Tweet!Now that you’ve been able to examine the immigration issue, it’s time to discuss.

1) First, decide on a team name then create an account at Twitter.com. One member will have to use their email address for the free Twitter account. The video below will give you some easy instructions.

2) Next, heck the hashtag #TrippHistoryImmigration to see which questions have NOT yet been used. The questions you will choose from are on page nine.

3) Pick an unused question from page nine and pose that question to the class. Remember to use #TrippHistoryImmigration on all posts.

4) Respond at least once to the questions posed by at least three different groups. Be polite and feel free to keep the discussion going!

Pick Your Question!1) How did the 1965 Immigration Act support the civil rights goals and legislation of President Lyndon Johnson?

2) What impact did the 1986 Immigration Act signed by President Ronald Reagan have on American society as we know it today?

3) What would immigration patterns look like today if the U.S. had not suffered a major economic downturn starting in 2008?

4) What would American society look like today if President Lyndon Johnson had not signed the 1965 Immigration Act?

5) Why do you think so many people on both sides of the issue see the 1986 Immigration Act as a failure?

6) How will the future of immigration politics and policy be relevant to you even though you can’t vote right now?

Final ThoughtsMost of us take our U.S. citizenship for granted. When

you’re born here, you’re automatically a citizen. But let’s stop and consider why so many people immigrate to America. Sometimes, they’re fleeing war or political persecution. Other times they just want a better life.

Eventually, some immigrants become U.S. citizens. It takes many years, and it’s not an easy process. But as you’ll see in this video from Voice of America, becoming a U.S. can be

the ultimate reward for an immigrant.

Guided NotesPrint out these notes and use them during class. They will help you focus

on the most important topics. Feel free to write your own notes under each item.

1) What motivated President Johnson to sign the 1965 Immigration Act?

2) How did the 1965 Immigration Act change the demographic picture of immigration?

3) What was President Reagan trying to accomplish with the 1986 Immigration Act?

4) How did legal and illegal immigration change after the 1986 Immigration Act?

5) What changes in America and Mexico drove down immigration in recent years?