Immigration 
and Education 
By: Zuri Stocker, Heather 
Henslee, Melea Evans, and 
Elise McDonald
Past Immigration Laws Timeline 
 1790: Naturalization Act of 1790 
 Only for white people with “good” moral character 
 Had to live in the country for two years before 
becoming naturalized 
 1795: 
 Increased the year limit to five years for having to 
live in the country from previous law 
 14th Amendment: Allowed all children that were 
born in the US to be citizens 
 1870: 
 Nationalization laws extended to African Americans
Past Immigration Laws Cont. 
 1850-1882: Chinese Exclusion Act 
 Restricted further Chinese immigration due to an 
increasing amount of disease 
 1921: Emergency Immigration Act: 
 Created immigration quotas 
 Led to the Immigration Act of 1924 
 1924: Immigration Act of 1924 
 Capped number of immigrants able to enter the 
US based on the number of immigrants of that 
nationality already in the US 
 Immigration basically ceased during the Great 
Depression
Current Immigration Laws 
 Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA) 
 Currently the body of law governing 
immigration policy 
 Provides for an annual worldwide limit of 
675,000 permanent immigrants, with 
exceptions for close family members 
 Congress and President determine 
separate number of refugee admissions 
 Immigration to the US is based on certain 
principles
Principles for Immigration 
 The reunification of families 
 Admitting immigrants with skills that are 
valuable to the US economy 
 Protecting refugees 
 Promoting diversity
Defining Family Unification 
 This is an important principle governing immigration 
policy 
 Family-based immigration category allows US citizens 
and lawful permanent residents (LPRs) to bring 
certain family members to the US 
 480,000 family-based visas available every year 
 Family-based immigrants are admitted to the US 
either as immediate relatives of US citizens or through 
family preference system. 
 Immigrants include: 
 Spouses of US citizens 
 Unmarried minor children of US citizens 
 Parents of US citizens
Defining Immigrants with Skills 
 More than 20 types of visas for temporary 
nonimmigrant workers 
 Include: 
 L visas (intercompany transfers) 
 P visas (for athletes, entertainers, and skilled 
performers) 
 R visas (religious workers) 
 A visas (diplomatic employees) 
 O visas (workers of extraordinary ability) 
 H visas (variety of these for both highly-skilled and 
lesser-skilled employment) 
 Permanent employment based on a set rate of 
140,000 visas per year
Defining Protecting Refugees 
 Refugees: 
 Admitted to the US based on inability to 
return to their home 
 Home countries must have a “well-founded 
fear of persecution” 
 Persecutions: race, social groups, political 
opinions, religion, or national origin
Defining Protecting Refugees 
Cont. 
 In 2013, Obama set 
the worldwide 
refugee ceiling at 
70,000 
 Regional 
allocations are in 
the image to the 
left
Defining Diversity Promotion 
 Diversity Visa Lottery: 
 Creating by the Immigration Act of 1990 
 Dedicated channel for immigrants from countries 
with low immigration rates to the US 
 55,000 visas are allocated randomly to nationals 
with less than 50,000 immigrants to the US in the 
previous 5 years 
 Requirements for Diversity Visa 
 Must have a high-school education (or its 
equivalent) 
 Within past five years, a minimum of two years 
working in a profession requiring two years of 
training or experience
More Current Immigration 
Laws 
 2011: Development, Relief, and Education for Alien 
Minors Act of 2011(DREAM Act): 
 Restored state option to determine residency for 
purposes of higher education benefits 
 Provides conditional legal status for certain individuals 
who: 
 Was under the age of 15 when entered the country 
 Has been physically present in the US for at least 5 years 
 Has earned a high-school diploma or GED 
 A person of good moral character 
 Is not inadmissible or deportable under criminal security 
grounds of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
 Younger than 32 years of age when law enacted
More Current Immigration 
Laws Cont. 
 House Bill 56 (H.B. 56): 
 Sparked fierce debate across Alabama 
 A more radical law than those passed in other 
states 
 Has an impact on schools 
 Requiring school staff to verify each student’s 
immigration status during enrollment in Alabama 
 Numbers must be reported to the state yearly 
 Fear that parents will pull students from school 
 Burdens educators with enforcing laws that are not 
our responsibility
In-process Immigration Laws 
 To understand the road to victory on 
immigration reform and what that means 
for 2014, one must first understand the 
journey to get to this point. 
 A national organization effort led to the 
passage of the Senate immigration reform 
bill in June of 2013, and shifted the public 
narrative to the inevitability of victory- no 
longer a question of if, but when.
Road to Victory 
 Electoral punch: The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant 
and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) 
 Began and electoral program with a relatively small 
experiment in 2002 
 Operated in about 10 precincts in some diverse 
suburban neighborhoods in Chicago 
 Individuals managed to organize non-partisan and 
501©(4) programs in 20 different neighborhoods and 
suburbs 
 The whole idea of the vote was considered a joke at 
first, but with great success, “elected” individuals 
could not ignore the growth and power of the 
immigrant community 
 152,434 immigrant voter s have been registered by 
the ICIRR
Furthering the Road to Victory 
 Individuals of the Latino community conducted 
driving calls 
 Involved shutting down Capital Hill switchboards with 
calls 
 Created national text messaging list with hundreds of 
thousands subscribers 
 Street Heats were conducted 
 Marches of 2006 to show that anti-immigrant insults 
are not going to be accepted in the immigrant 
community 
 Marches were so large, traffic was affected 
 This community takes things to another level 
(regarding legal authority) to demonstrate the 
disruption of deportation within their own family lives
Furthering the Road to Victory 
Cont. 
 Telling stories 
 Leaders started “coming out” in stating that they 
were “undocumented and unafraid” 
 “Coming out” countered the fear that many 
leaders held, and has fundamentally changed 
their public lives 
 The Fair Immigration Reform Movement 
 Through the Keeping Families Together campaign, 
thousands of stories are told about the 
deportations of families involved 
 The movement has matured in many ways. This 
has allowed for more success in reform
Victory In Sight 
 ICIRR and FIRM organizations have built 
citizenship programs to help legal immigrants 
 Thirteen million legal permanent residents in 
the US 
 Eight million of the thirteen million are eligible 
to become citizens (RIGHT NOW!) 
 In swing states like Colorado, Arizona, and 
Florida with legal permanent residents, current 
immigrant voters, and potential naturalized 
citizens could mean the margin of victory
Impacts on Education and 
Families 
 Public spending is deceasing 
 Less funding in public schools 
 Increase in enrollment in private schools 
 Larger class sizes in the public school systems 
 Multiple cultures in a classroom setting 
 Teachers are expected to know and embrace the 
different cultures 
 Provides other students with a knowledge of other 
cultures 
 Promotes classroom diversity 
 Less staff support for those individuals that face language 
barriers 
 Immigrant students may be encourages to be productive 
members of society provided an education
Practices to Support 
Immigration Students 
 ESOL services if needed 
 Cobb County School District: provides a number of 
resources to support these students 
 Value and build upon students’ academic, linguistic, 
and cultural background 
 Create supportive learning environments 
 Assist students in reaching their full potential 
 Build connections between ESOL and school wide 
instructional programs 
 Encourage participation of students and families with 
the school and the community 
 Foster understanding and appreciation of diverse 
populations within the school and community
What do we do when they 
come to our classroom? 
 In the end, we need to create the best 
learning environment possible to support 
immigrant students. Remember that 
language proficiency does always support 
their academic ability. They are more than 
likely not “dumb” or “stupid.” These students 
may simply lack a knowledge of our 
academic content. Embrace their culture 
and support the family to the best of your 
ability. These practices will always promote 
support for these students.
References 
 AZEMUN, M., & BENITO, L. (2014). A State and National 
Perspective. (Cover story). Social Policy,44(1), 3-8. 
 Education and Employment. (2014, January 1). Retrieved 
September 17, 2014, from 
http://www.ncsl.org/research/immigration/education-and-employment. 
aspx 
 How the United States Immigration System Works: A Fact Sheet. 
(2014, March 1). Retrieved September 17, 2014, from 
http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/just-facts/how-united-states-immigration- 
system-works-fact-sheet 
 Immigration. (2014, January 1). Retrieved September 17, 2014, 
from http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/immigration 
 Mavisakalyan, A. (2011). Immigration, Public Education Spending, 
and Private Schooling. Southern Economic Journal, 78(2), 397-423. 
 Walker, T. (2011, August 31). Alabama Schools Worry About Effects 
of Immigration Law. Retrieved September 17, 2014, from 
http://neatoday.org/2011/08/31/alabama-schools-worry-about-effects- 
of-harsh-immigration-law/

Immigration and education

  • 1.
    Immigration and Education By: Zuri Stocker, Heather Henslee, Melea Evans, and Elise McDonald
  • 2.
    Past Immigration LawsTimeline  1790: Naturalization Act of 1790  Only for white people with “good” moral character  Had to live in the country for two years before becoming naturalized  1795:  Increased the year limit to five years for having to live in the country from previous law  14th Amendment: Allowed all children that were born in the US to be citizens  1870:  Nationalization laws extended to African Americans
  • 3.
    Past Immigration LawsCont.  1850-1882: Chinese Exclusion Act  Restricted further Chinese immigration due to an increasing amount of disease  1921: Emergency Immigration Act:  Created immigration quotas  Led to the Immigration Act of 1924  1924: Immigration Act of 1924  Capped number of immigrants able to enter the US based on the number of immigrants of that nationality already in the US  Immigration basically ceased during the Great Depression
  • 4.
    Current Immigration Laws  Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA)  Currently the body of law governing immigration policy  Provides for an annual worldwide limit of 675,000 permanent immigrants, with exceptions for close family members  Congress and President determine separate number of refugee admissions  Immigration to the US is based on certain principles
  • 5.
    Principles for Immigration  The reunification of families  Admitting immigrants with skills that are valuable to the US economy  Protecting refugees  Promoting diversity
  • 6.
    Defining Family Unification  This is an important principle governing immigration policy  Family-based immigration category allows US citizens and lawful permanent residents (LPRs) to bring certain family members to the US  480,000 family-based visas available every year  Family-based immigrants are admitted to the US either as immediate relatives of US citizens or through family preference system.  Immigrants include:  Spouses of US citizens  Unmarried minor children of US citizens  Parents of US citizens
  • 7.
    Defining Immigrants withSkills  More than 20 types of visas for temporary nonimmigrant workers  Include:  L visas (intercompany transfers)  P visas (for athletes, entertainers, and skilled performers)  R visas (religious workers)  A visas (diplomatic employees)  O visas (workers of extraordinary ability)  H visas (variety of these for both highly-skilled and lesser-skilled employment)  Permanent employment based on a set rate of 140,000 visas per year
  • 8.
    Defining Protecting Refugees  Refugees:  Admitted to the US based on inability to return to their home  Home countries must have a “well-founded fear of persecution”  Persecutions: race, social groups, political opinions, religion, or national origin
  • 9.
    Defining Protecting Refugees Cont.  In 2013, Obama set the worldwide refugee ceiling at 70,000  Regional allocations are in the image to the left
  • 10.
    Defining Diversity Promotion  Diversity Visa Lottery:  Creating by the Immigration Act of 1990  Dedicated channel for immigrants from countries with low immigration rates to the US  55,000 visas are allocated randomly to nationals with less than 50,000 immigrants to the US in the previous 5 years  Requirements for Diversity Visa  Must have a high-school education (or its equivalent)  Within past five years, a minimum of two years working in a profession requiring two years of training or experience
  • 11.
    More Current Immigration Laws  2011: Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act of 2011(DREAM Act):  Restored state option to determine residency for purposes of higher education benefits  Provides conditional legal status for certain individuals who:  Was under the age of 15 when entered the country  Has been physically present in the US for at least 5 years  Has earned a high-school diploma or GED  A person of good moral character  Is not inadmissible or deportable under criminal security grounds of the Immigration and Nationality Act  Younger than 32 years of age when law enacted
  • 12.
    More Current Immigration Laws Cont.  House Bill 56 (H.B. 56):  Sparked fierce debate across Alabama  A more radical law than those passed in other states  Has an impact on schools  Requiring school staff to verify each student’s immigration status during enrollment in Alabama  Numbers must be reported to the state yearly  Fear that parents will pull students from school  Burdens educators with enforcing laws that are not our responsibility
  • 13.
    In-process Immigration Laws  To understand the road to victory on immigration reform and what that means for 2014, one must first understand the journey to get to this point.  A national organization effort led to the passage of the Senate immigration reform bill in June of 2013, and shifted the public narrative to the inevitability of victory- no longer a question of if, but when.
  • 14.
    Road to Victory  Electoral punch: The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR)  Began and electoral program with a relatively small experiment in 2002  Operated in about 10 precincts in some diverse suburban neighborhoods in Chicago  Individuals managed to organize non-partisan and 501©(4) programs in 20 different neighborhoods and suburbs  The whole idea of the vote was considered a joke at first, but with great success, “elected” individuals could not ignore the growth and power of the immigrant community  152,434 immigrant voter s have been registered by the ICIRR
  • 15.
    Furthering the Roadto Victory  Individuals of the Latino community conducted driving calls  Involved shutting down Capital Hill switchboards with calls  Created national text messaging list with hundreds of thousands subscribers  Street Heats were conducted  Marches of 2006 to show that anti-immigrant insults are not going to be accepted in the immigrant community  Marches were so large, traffic was affected  This community takes things to another level (regarding legal authority) to demonstrate the disruption of deportation within their own family lives
  • 16.
    Furthering the Roadto Victory Cont.  Telling stories  Leaders started “coming out” in stating that they were “undocumented and unafraid”  “Coming out” countered the fear that many leaders held, and has fundamentally changed their public lives  The Fair Immigration Reform Movement  Through the Keeping Families Together campaign, thousands of stories are told about the deportations of families involved  The movement has matured in many ways. This has allowed for more success in reform
  • 17.
    Victory In Sight  ICIRR and FIRM organizations have built citizenship programs to help legal immigrants  Thirteen million legal permanent residents in the US  Eight million of the thirteen million are eligible to become citizens (RIGHT NOW!)  In swing states like Colorado, Arizona, and Florida with legal permanent residents, current immigrant voters, and potential naturalized citizens could mean the margin of victory
  • 18.
    Impacts on Educationand Families  Public spending is deceasing  Less funding in public schools  Increase in enrollment in private schools  Larger class sizes in the public school systems  Multiple cultures in a classroom setting  Teachers are expected to know and embrace the different cultures  Provides other students with a knowledge of other cultures  Promotes classroom diversity  Less staff support for those individuals that face language barriers  Immigrant students may be encourages to be productive members of society provided an education
  • 19.
    Practices to Support Immigration Students  ESOL services if needed  Cobb County School District: provides a number of resources to support these students  Value and build upon students’ academic, linguistic, and cultural background  Create supportive learning environments  Assist students in reaching their full potential  Build connections between ESOL and school wide instructional programs  Encourage participation of students and families with the school and the community  Foster understanding and appreciation of diverse populations within the school and community
  • 20.
    What do wedo when they come to our classroom?  In the end, we need to create the best learning environment possible to support immigrant students. Remember that language proficiency does always support their academic ability. They are more than likely not “dumb” or “stupid.” These students may simply lack a knowledge of our academic content. Embrace their culture and support the family to the best of your ability. These practices will always promote support for these students.
  • 21.
    References  AZEMUN,M., & BENITO, L. (2014). A State and National Perspective. (Cover story). Social Policy,44(1), 3-8.  Education and Employment. (2014, January 1). Retrieved September 17, 2014, from http://www.ncsl.org/research/immigration/education-and-employment. aspx  How the United States Immigration System Works: A Fact Sheet. (2014, March 1). Retrieved September 17, 2014, from http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/just-facts/how-united-states-immigration- system-works-fact-sheet  Immigration. (2014, January 1). Retrieved September 17, 2014, from http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/immigration  Mavisakalyan, A. (2011). Immigration, Public Education Spending, and Private Schooling. Southern Economic Journal, 78(2), 397-423.  Walker, T. (2011, August 31). Alabama Schools Worry About Effects of Immigration Law. Retrieved September 17, 2014, from http://neatoday.org/2011/08/31/alabama-schools-worry-about-effects- of-harsh-immigration-law/