Immigration Policy Lecture Outline

Key concepts among Public regarding Immigration Policy (ala P&R, Ch. 9)

Public understanding of immigration flawed, lacking often based on misleading perceptions and ideologies

The “Great Contradiction (lots of hostility to immigrants, but US is nation of immigrants and much of society benefits from it, economically and otherwise).

Misinformed public opinion leads to ineffective policies

  1. Intransigent Nativism (P& R ch. 9) --exclude or deport or otherwise subordinate immigrants
  2. Miller Chs. 8 & 9 give lots of interior immgn. enforcement expansionexamples of this and human cost (as well as budget cost)

2. Forced Assimilation ASAP–English only, etc. weakens immigrant communities and families, leads to problems … vs. Selective Acculturationmore positive outcomes (P& R ch.9)

Reactive Ethnicity Mobilization – as response to forced assim. pressures –examples of growth of Latino and Asian American voting power… (P&R ch. 9)

Vs. Reality Underneath (political economy of immigration):

  1. Changing US Labor Market – Hour-Glass Economy and Labor demand
  2. Benefits privatized, costs socialized (P& R ch. 9) vs. “Immigrant compacts as way to spread costs more fairly (Dunn web rdg.)
  3. Historical roots of Today’s Labor System & Social, Economic Intl. ties between US and sending countries (Mexico, Central America, Vietnam, Korea, Philippines,etc.)
  4. Social networks of immigrants and employers (P& R ch. 9)

Immigration Policy Disconnect between public opinion and reality of immigration

Policies based on misinformed public opinion often not work—e.g., increasing immigration enforcement not stopped immigration (P & R ch. 9, Dunn web rdg.), but made lives of immigrants much harder and more insecure, more fearful, etc. (Miller, Chs. 8 & 9)

Many immigration federal and state policies passed based on intransigent nativism (& some on forced assimilation) but without accomplishing their goal –AZ sheriff Joe and SB 1070 South Carolina SB 20, and many other states, (p 7 R ch. 9, Miller chs 8 & 9)

Entrapment of immigrants in communities in interior due to increasing immg. Enforcement,hardships imposed on daily life (from church to work to shopping, etc. ) (Miller Ch. 9)

Immigrant labor helpful to economy (in Ag., construction, services), but “foreignness” and legal status of many immigrants makes for much public hostility. South Carolina case highlights this contradiction (Miller Ch. 9)

Massive growth of Interior Deportation Enforcement programs of ICE (Miller Ch. 8)

Alternative Policies based more on reality of Immigration

P&R ch 9 list: Ample Temporary Worker Visas to meet US Labor Demand

  • Increase govt. program investments for families in sending communities for incentive to return
  • Ability to change jobs, visa not tied to 1 employer
  • Massive legalization program for 11-12 MN undocumented immigrants
  • DACA & PACA (temp. protection from deptn for 5 MN) are steps ion this direction (Nakamure web rdg.)
  • Employers gain stable, reliable workforce, but can’t hyper-exploit.
  • Increase Labor law Enforcement for all workers – citizen & immigrant
  • Immigrants gain security
  • Promote Selective Acculturation for 2nd Gen (list of specific policies,like dual language schools, afterschool program,s vocational ed. programs for non-college bound, DACA & fulllegalization for 1.5 gen (See Nakamura web reading for examples of this)

Showed scene from video “800 mile wall” and how Canada runs Ag. temp migrant labor program, and rights and conditions of workers there compared to US.

Push Conditions underlying immigration, & policies needed to address them – Need to increase economic opportunities in home countries for lower classes migrating (peasants, urban working class, small businesses), may need to renegotiate North American Free trade Agreement (NAFTA) as economic policy approach that heightens push conditions by increasing corporate profits at expense of small farmers and urban working class. Stop supporting govts. that repress own populations (causes people to flee violence & insecurity – such as in Central America). European Union as alternative model of free labor mobility internally, after massive investment in poorer member countries. (Dunn web rdg.)

Pull Conditions underlying immigration & policies needed to addressthem – Changing US labor market & demand for immigrant workers (P&R Ch 10 & a little in Dunn ch. 7). Policy ideas – increase labor organizing and recognition, increase wage and safety enforcement, grant more visas for guest worker program for future workers, legalize the 11-12 MN unauthorized immigrants here already here and working, increase job training for antive workers as well (Dunn web rdg., P&R ch. 9)

National Security view of Immigration – Protect nation-state, exemplified in increasing border and interior enforcement against immigrants as threats (ala Miller Chs. 8, 9, & 10). Border rand immigration enforcement fetishized, & not very effective (Dunn web rdg.)

Vs. Human Security View –Meet people’s needs in home countries and in US (economic security, food security, health security, personal security & safety, political security & reedoms, etc.) – all human rights, broadly defined. This leads les push conditions in home countries, and better conditions for immigrants and natves alike in US & other receiving countries (lecture only). Policies to promote these human rights may well be much more effective in address immigration (Dunn web rdg.).

Contrast this with ever more spending on enforcement while social and economic conditions decaying in many areas of US (Miller Ch. 10)

Secure Community Data – how many deported are more dangerous types of criminals or even criminals at all? (lecture only, & Miller Ch. 8 & 9 a little)

Deterrent effect of ‘Operation Streamline” ? Waste of resources? (Miller ch. 8, and data from lecture)

Deep ties of those deported to US families and communities of many of those deported ((lecture data)

  • & Hardships of family separation (Miller Ch.s 8 &9)

Selective Acculturation-- P&R ch. 9 suggestions for 2nd & 1.5 Generation to promote.

2 presidential candidate recent immigration policy announcements on path to citizenship for Undocu. Immigrnats (lec. only) How does this relate to growing political influence of Hispanic and Asian American voters (P&R ch. 9)

Likely Economic impacts of Immigration Legalization / Amnesty for the Undocumented Immigrants – likely quite beneficial in terms of raising wages and creating more consumer demand for products & services, and creating more jobs, and paying more taxes off of higher incomes… (lecture only—Friday)

Obama’s recent temporary legalization measures (DACA and PACA) -- Basic crtieria and how many people affected, how affects daily life (Nakamura web rdg.)

Central American child migration crisis of 2014, illustration of push conditions and solutions (lec. only), relates to some of what Dunn web rdg. discussed on need to address various types of push conditionsrole of US foreign policy. (in often worsening them & need to change that, as well as illustrates alternative policy in Nicaragua that had success).

Hint’s for cumulative part of final exam (Need to know basic info in at least general big idea terms, not all level of detail on them)

  1. Language & Education (2nd test unit). -- 3 generation language learning cycle benefits of fluent bilingualism. Very relevant for Immigrant families topic as well as for Social services, and policy somewhat.
  2. Immigrants and Crime (2nd test unit)-- basic info on topic. relevant for policy, families and religion topics
  3. Selective Acculturation (2nd test unit) & benefits of this compared to rapid (often downward) assimilation.

Other Issues to be familiar with but not lectured on:

  • Future of Immigration Future of immigration policy? (P&R ch. 9)
  • Signs of resistance to current immigration deportation regime? (Miller Ch. 10)
  • See also, Group Discussion Issues / Questions to consider