1. 1966 Cuban Adjustment Act: U.S.-Cuba Immigration Accord
“WET FEET, DRY FEET”
1966 Cuban Adjustment Act:
U.S.-Cuba Immigration Accord
Image source: ka.uvuvideo.org

2. Objectives
▪Students will identify the push-pull factors in Cuban immigration by hypothesizing and interpreting information
▪Students will understand and interpret the US policy on Cuban immigration from multiple perspectives
▪Students will utilize their new content knowledge of US policies and Cuban immigration to evaluate the United States policies on immigration and the US role in protecting Cuban human rights

3. Standards Next Generation Sunshine State Standards:
▪ SS.912.C.2.11: Analyze public policy solutions or courses of action to resolve a local, state, or federal issue.
▪ SS.912.C.4.2: Evaluate the influence of American foreign policy on other nations and the influences of other nations on American policies and society.
▪ SS.912.C.3.5: Identify the impact of independent regulatory agencies in the federal bureaucracy.
▪ SS.912.C.3.13: Illustrate examples of how government affects the daily lives of citizens at the local, state, and national levels.
SS.912.G.4.2: Use geographic terms and tools to analyze the push/pull factors contributing to human migration within and among places.
NCSS Themes:
▪ Civic Ideals and Practices: C. locate, access, organize, and apply information about an issue of public concern from multiple points of view
▪ People, Places, and Environments: D. estimate distance and calculate scale.

4. Have you ever moved? What were the circumstances?
Bell Work:
Record and answer the following questions in your notebook:
Have you ever moved? What were the circumstances?
Considering your own experiences, or the experiences of others, why do you think people move?
Where do they go, or, why do they choose to go to one place rather than another?

5. PUSH PULL & Economic Struggle: high unemployment, lack of goods.
Political persecution: Castro regime
Social turmoil: lack of belonging, miss family, lack of intellectual or academic opportunities
Economic Opportunity
Political freedoms or asylum: US favorable immigration status. US democratic ideals
Social factors: Family, sense of belonging, intellectual and academic opportunity
&
Overtime, various factors have determined the primary reasons for Cuban immigration to the United States. Historically, a number of factors have influenced increased immigration levels.
There have been “waves” of Cuban migration to the United States.
For example:
and 1890s: Spanish colonial rule and independence movement. Cigar factories and workers move operations to Florida (Key West and, later, Tampa)
and later: Cuban revolution and Fidel Castro. Socialist regime in power leads many wealthy Cubans to flee to the United States to protect their wealth. Many family members follow. Political dissidents and opposition members also flee to escape political persecution.
: Mariel Boatlifts: Economic downturn in Cuba prompted Cuban government to permit mass exodus from Cuba. Cubans leave Cuba in high numbers to come to United States
Trade with Soviet Union suspended: Economic crisis.
Pull Factors have to do with general democratic ideals and opportunities in the United States, but also with changes in government policy.

6. Source: Worldpress.org
Where is Cuba?

7. Source: Worldpress.org
To where do you think Cubans migrate?

8. Why do you think people leave Cuba?
Pair & Share 1
Record and answer on your Pair & Share worksheet:
Why do you think people leave Cuba?
Students partner with student nearest to them. Students will record their initial answers in the top boxes of each pair and share question and then will fill out the following boxes with the more accurate information gained from the brief lessons following each pair and share.

9. Looking at your map, where do you think they might go?
Pair & Share 2
Record and answer on your Pair & Share worksheet:
Looking at your map, where do you think they might go?
Students partner with student nearest to them. Students will record their initial answers in the top boxes of each pair and share question, and then will fill out the following boxes with additional and/or more accurate information gained from the brief lessons following each pair and share.

10. Pair & Share 2 Looking at your map, where do you think they might go?
Record and answer on your Pair & Share worksheet:
Looking at your map, where do you think they might go?
Why do you think they might go to Florida instead of other places?
Important follow up Question: Why do you think they might go to Florida instead of other places? Consider geography and physical proximity.

11. Source: National Geographic MapMaker Interactive
The majority of Cuban emigrants, immigrate to the United States.
Of that majority that comes to the United States, where do you think in the United States they go?
Why do you think the majority come to Florida? Consider geography as a factor.
Looking at the map, between which two locations is the closest distance between Cuba and the United States. Approximately how far is the closest distance between Cuba and the United States? Use the scale.

12. Record and answer on your Pair & Share worksheet:
Approximately how far is the closest part of the United States to Cuba?
Looking at the map, between which two locations is the closest distance between Cuba and the United States. Approximately how far is the closest distance between Cuba and the United States? Use the scale.

13. Florida Keys Florida Straits
Source: National Geographic MapMaker Interactive
Remember the problems of flat maps. A globe would provide a much better indicator of the proximity of Cuba and Florida. A great supplement to this lesson would be globes passed around to student groups to which they could refer.

14. Record and answer on your Pair & Share worksheet:
How do you think Cuban immigrants get here? Chart the route you think they may take
Have students draw a simple sketch of the route they think Cubans may take to get to the United States. Then, sketch a quick map on the board or overhead of the route Cuban immigrants most often take to reach the United States for students to record in the right-hand box of their Pair&Share sheets.

15. Florida Keys Florida Straits
Source: National Geographic MapMaker Interactive

16. Source: Democraticunderground.com and harpercollege.edu
More and more, Cubans are sailing to the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico and making their way to the United States from Mexico.

17. Cuban Migrants Face Choppy Waters Feb 21, 2008
Video
Cuban Migrants Face Choppy Waters
Feb 21, 2008
Video:

18. How many people do you think immigrate into the United States from Cuba annually, on average?

19. Source: Data compiled from Department of Homeland Security Yearbook and MPI Migration Policy Institute.
How many people do you think immigrate into the United States from Cuba annually, on average? (In the past 10 years ( ), the average number of Cubans receiving Permanent Legal Status annually is approximately 35,500 (#= Source: MPI and Department of Homeland Security). Record some student numbers and then show a line graph of Cuban immigrant levels. Explain that the number of immigrants each year is probably much higher. Also, explain that this graph shows the number of Cuban immigrants granted permanent residence; it is not the same as when they actually arrived in the United States.
What do you notice about the graph? Do you notice any trends? (The number has steadily increased, with peaks in 2002, and Overall, the number of Cuban Immigrants granted LPR status in the United States has increased.
Ask students, that these people, in such high numbers, still try to immigrate to the United States, risk their lives, what does it say about the push-pull factors? Why do they still try? Says a lot, at least, about their perception of the opportunities and life in the United States.
Graph information: Fiscal Year
Number of Cuban Immigrants to US Granted Legal Permanent Residence Status
1999
14,019
2000
18,960
2001
27,453
2002
28,182
2003
9,262
2004
20,488
2005
36,261
2006
45,614
2007
29,104
2008
49,500
2009
38,954
2010
33,573
2011
36,452

20. Source of table: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/R40566.pdf
What do you notice about the first graph? What does this mean? (Coast Guard is catching more immigrants). Why do you think this could be? (maybe more efficient practices. Maybe there are more Cubans attempting to arrive in the United States and so increases the odds of Coast Guard catching immigrants. Maybe both).
As you can see, there are many more that try to make it to the United States than actually do make it here. In ,199 Cubans were interdicted by the US Coast Guard and repatriated to Cuba or sent to a third country.
Further, you can see that the majority of Cubans caught attempting to enter the United States are those attempting to immigrate by sea. You may be able to infer that this means the majority of Cubans attempt to immigrate to the United States to Florida by sea, on the Florida Straits. However, it could also mean that more immigrants traveling by sea are caught, but according to research, this is unlikely.
More and more, Cubans are attempting to enter the United States by sailing to the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. Source same as images above

21. News
Photo Sources: Scholastic and New York Times Upfront; weblogs.sun-sentinel.com; Miami Herald
Students read article: “Troubled Waters” found at
Word Wall: Define the US-Cuba Migration Accords of 1994 and 1995/the Wet Feet, Dry Feet Policy.
What do you think about this policy? Why is it beneficial? Why is it bad? (preferential immigration status for Cubans, but encourages life-risking actions by Cubans and puts Coast Guard in a bad position). Can they identify the contradictions in the policy and its purposes?

22. Wet Feet Photo Source: ujtravels.wordpress.com
Read the Case Study Reading aloud to students.

23. Role Play
Read the “Background information” and follow directions on your worksheet.
If you finish early, practice quietly reading the letter aloud to your group
Photo sources: informationdissemination.net (coast guard); dhs.gov (flag and DHS logo); seattletimes.com; huffingtonpost.com; worldatlas.com
Word Wall: Asylum and Refuge.
Editorial Role-Play

24. What may be a better solution?
Think-Write-Share
In one to three full paragraphs, answer the following questions:
Do you agree or disagree with the United States’ Wet Feet, Dry Feet Policy for Cuban immigrants? Why?
Refer to at least three specific examples from this class period and/or personal experiences.
What may be a better solution?
Consider: Does the US Government have the responsibility to protect human rights of Cuban immigrants seeking asylum in the United States?
Do you think any one group of immigrants should have preferential treatment?
Students will have the opportunity to contemplate the following questions, and then share their thoughts with the classroom. Read the questions aloud to students and clarify any questions they may have. Allow students to briefly think about the questions above and make sure they include specific examples to support their opinions. Students will turn this in as part of their evaluation for the day. The rubric is a checklist.

25. I------------I------------I------------I------------I
Stand up!
I I I I I
undecided
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
After a brief discussion on the Cuban Immigration policy, students will assess whether they strongly disagree, disagree, agree, strongly agree, or are undecided on their opinion of the Wet Feet, Dry Feet policy.
Have students line up in four corners and a wall of the classroom under signs denoting each of the five positions on the Wet Feet, Dry Feet policy.
In 30 seconds, students in each group will agree on one reason they chose the position they did and one speaker from each group will report out. As students provide their rationale, other students can change their opinion and physically shift their position.
As a teacher, you will take a survey of the number of students standing in each area and record the tally marks on the board. (GALLUP POLL ABOUT US CITIZENS OPINION ON THIS)
Strongly Agree

26. #Ms.Stalnaker
On your “Twitter sheet,” explain what you learned from today’s lesson in 140 characters or less.
On a separate sheet of paper, write questions that you still have from this lesson.
Students will fill out a “Twitter” where they will state, in 140 characters or less, what they learned from the day’s lesson and questions they still have. Students will quickly pair-and-share with a partner about what they learned from the lesson. Students will then “Stand-and Share” the questions they still have; students will share one-at-a-time, and if a student’s question is shared by another student, that student may sit down. This is so that all questions are shared, but none are repeated, to make the process more efficient. The students’ homework is to answer the questions they produced at the end of the class period. Make sure to remind students of what constitutes legitimate sources when seeking answers to their questions and encourage them to read and research answers with a critical eye while understanding that there is not always one right answer to questions

27. Homework
Record and thoroughly answer the questions you still have! At least one paragraph.
OPTIONAL HOMEWORK READING:

28. Are any humans really “illegal?”
Food for Thought
Does the United States have a responsibility to protect immigrants illegally seeking asylum in the United States?
Are any humans really “illegal?”
“Are humans really illegal” is adapted from the ACLU motto.