1. Today’s Warm Up: Based on the pie charts below, how has immigration to the United States changed over time? List and briefly describe at least two observations. Be ready to share!

2. Activity: Migration & My Story
You received a card describing a person affected by migration and will play that role in this activity.
You’ll also be interviewing 5 of your classmates.
At the start of each interview, record the card number and the home country of the person being interviewed in the first column of your form.
Summarize the most important statements made by the person about the effects of migration in the middle column.
Decide whether or not each person would favor laws to make migration easier. Record your decision in the last column.

3. Wave 3: Modern Immigration
Today’s LEQ: How does modern immigration compare to past immigration?

4. U.S. Immigration Laws
Very complex, with many different categories for different kinds of people
Controversial

5. How does a non-citizen legally enter the U.S.?
Two distinct paths:
Permanent (immigrant): lawful permanent resident (LPR); receive “green card”, eligible to work, may later apply for U.S. citizenship
Temporary: diplomats, tourists, students, etc.; not eligible for citizenship, required to leave when visas expire

6. History of Immigration Law
Chinese Exclusion Act = (1875) first law limiting immigration
After WWI, Quota Law of 1921 = temporary limit on the numbers of immigrants to the U.S.; imposed quotas based on country of birth

7. Fast Forward to 1996…
Illegal Immigration and Immigrant Responsibility Act, 1996 = doubled number of border patrols & approved fence along most used areas of US-Mexico border
Reduced gov’t benefits available to immigrants (for example, ineligible for food stamps)
Made it easier for employers to verify a potential worker’s eligibility

8. Becoming a U.S. Citizen: Naturalization
LPR who has lived here for 3-5 years can apply for citizenship
Must have good moral character, knowledge of U.S. history and gov’t and English language, willingness to support U.S. and the Constitution

9. Key Terms
Immigrant: person who leaves one country to settle permanently in another; granted permission to do so by the gov’t
Illegal Immigrant: an alien (non-citizen) who has entered the U.S. without gov’t permission or stayed beyond the termination date of a visa; sometimes referred to as an undocumented immigrant

10. Current Statistics
U.S. currently admits 900,000 immigrants each year (.3% of our population)
Issues 5 million visas for temporary admission to the U.S. per year
Goals of current laws:
reunite families
admit workers where there’s a strong demand for labor
provide refuge
admit people from a diverse set of countries