Dreamers https://www.morningsidecenter.org/ en Undocumented & Unafraid: Supreme Court's DACA Decision https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/undocumented-unafraid-supreme-courts-daca-decision <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Undocumented &amp; Unafraid: Supreme Court&#039;s DACA Decision</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><p>The Supreme Court’s June 2020 decision to protect the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was celebrated as a victory by young immigrant rights activists across the country.&nbsp;</p> <p>The court’s 5-4 decision was limited in scope, but it delivered a blow to the Trump administration’s effort to roll back the program. DACA, which was introduced in 2012 by the Obama administration, protects nearly 700,000 young immigrants (often called "Dreamers") without citizenship or residency status from deportation.</p> <p>The ruling is an opportunity to engage students in discussion about DACA, its impact on undocumented youth, and the youth-led movement to defend and expand immigrants’ rights and promote justice and dignity for all immigrants.<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;<br> This topic is a critical one for communities across the country, and often a sensitive one as well. In discussing it, we as educators must be empathetic and aware of the students in our physical and virtual classroom spaces that may be directly impacted by DACA. Consider reviewing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/teaching-about-controversial-or-difficult-issues">these guidelines</a> for discussing difficult issues in the classroom.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>This lesson includes:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Opening: Share with students images of the DACA protests. Invite students to write down and then share what messages they receive from the pictures, and what emotions come up for them in viewing the images.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>Backgrounder: Ask students what they know about DACA and provide them with background information on current news and the larger issues.<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>Activity: Share a brief video about one Dreamer and invite students to respond to the prompts in popcorn style.<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What’s Next? Share information on what youth activists are now doing to address this issue and invite students’ thoughts.<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>Closing: Students view the video “Home is Here” and reflect on today's&nbsp;discussion.</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'filter_caption' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/filter/templates/filter-caption.html.twig' --> <figure role="group"> <img alt="Dreamers" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="39f5874b-6455-430a-9371-06c0c9f4d1de" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Dreamers.jpg" width="799" height="571" loading="lazy"> <figcaption><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruggless/"><em>Photo by Susan Ruggles.</em></a></figcaption> </figure> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/filter/templates/filter-caption.html.twig' --> <hr> <h3><br> Opening<br> &nbsp;</h3> <p>Before entering into a full discussion, share with students <a href="https://www.gettyimages.com/photos/daca?family=editorial&amp;phrase=daca&amp;sort=mostpopular">these images</a> of recent peaceful protests in Washington, D.C., against the termination of DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.</p> <p>Draw their attention to the first page images, or pre-select images you would like students to focus on.&nbsp;</p> <p>While scrolling through the images, pause and allow students time to look and reflect. Continue scrolling and pausing until you have reached the bottom of the first page.&nbsp;</p> <p>Leave some of the images up on the screen, and provide students with two minutes to answer the prompts on paper:</p> <ul> <li>What messages do you see in the images?</li> <li>What emotions are captured in the images?</li> </ul> <p>After the two minutes are up, inform students that you will do one go-round, where every student has the opportunity to share one of their responses to the prompt. (If you are conducting a virtual gathering, write all the students’ names in the chat box, and ask students to speak in that order for go-rounds.)&nbsp;</p> <p>In the first round, invite students to share what messages they saw in the images. Students may share that the signs included words such as: Undocumented &amp; Unafraid; HOME-is-HERE; Without Dreamers, There’s No American Dream; We are all Immigrants; Keep Families Together; and Unidos Soñamos, which translates as Together We Dream.</p> <p>In the next round, invite students to share what emotions are captured in the images. Responses might include anger, joy, fear, excitement, or urgency.</p> <p>After all students have shared, ask if anyone knows exactly what DACA is.<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <h3><br> Backgrounder: What's DACA – and Why is It in the News?&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</h3> <p>After students generate responses on what they already know about &nbsp;DACA, share some or all of the background information below.</p> <ul> <li>The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program protects nearly 700,000 young immigrants without citizenship or residency status from being deported. It was created in 2012, under the Obama administration.<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>These young immigrants, often called “Dreamers,” were brought to the U.S. as children. To be eligible for DACA, they had to have arrived in the U.S. before age 16, they must have lived here since 2007, and they must have been under 30 when the policy was enacted. Recipients are required to renew their protections every two years.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>DACA does not provide Dreamers with a path to citizenship or permanent residency in the U.S., which is the only country many Dreamers can remember. However, it does protect them from sudden deportation, and it allows them to work legally, get a driver’s license, and go to school.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>Public support for DACA is extremely high: In fact, about <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/06/17/americans-broadly-support-legal-status-for-immigrants-brought-to-the-u-s-illegally-as-children/">three-quarters</a> of Americans, including a majority of Republicans, support granting <em>permanent</em> legal status to immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>However, President Trump announced in September 2017 that he would wind down the program, arguing that creating or maintaining the program was beyond the legal power of any president. (DACA was created through an executive order by President Obama.)<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>Young people and adults across the country have organized a powerful mass movement to defend DACA – and to demand justice and dignity for all immigrants.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>The issue came before the Supreme Court, and on June 18, 2020, the court ruled by a 5-4 majority to protect the law.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>The decision, which was written by Chief Justice John Roberts, found that the Trump administration’s justification for rolling back the law was “arbitrary and capricious.” However, the court ruled that the Trump administration could try to challenge the program again if they could provide adequate reasons for ending it.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>This Supreme Court decision was a small yet significant win for the many young adults and youth who have been protected under DACA.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>But under the current presidential administration there still is a lingering threat that DACA will be terminated altogether, leaving thousands of undocumented youth and young adults in fear.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>The Supreme Court decision provided temporary relief, but the fight is not over yet. Thousands of youth, many of whom are undocumented themselves, continue to organize to protect DACA.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</li> </ul> <hr> <h3><br> Activity: Video &amp; Discussion<br> &nbsp;</h3> <p>After providing students with background information, play this&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBho7FnIGa8#action=share">3-minute video</a> about one Dreamer. &nbsp;</p> <p>Tell students that “Jazmin’s Story” was created by United We Dream, the largest youth-led immigrant organization in the United States, with over 400,000 members across 28 states. The video is about Yazmin Irazoqui Ruiz, an aspiring surgeon who was born in Mexico and has lived in the U.S. since she was three years old.&nbsp;</p> <p>After playing the video, invite students to respond to the questions below. Ask student to first write down their responses to these prompts. Then, encourage students to share their responses with the group popcorn-style (not in any particular order).</p> <p><strong>Prompts:</strong></p> <ul> <li>What does it mean to be an undocumented youth in this country?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>How does Jazmin’s story connect to all young people in this country, regardless of immigration status?&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What can happen to Jazmin and her dreams if DACA is terminated?</li> </ul> <p>Encourage students to see more stories like Jazmin’s <a href="https://www.homeishere.us/">here</a>.<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <h3><br> So… What's Next?</h3> <p><br> Young people across the country are pressing for a law that would provide a permanent pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients. One such piece of&nbsp;legislation, called the Dream and Promise Act of 2019, would grant Dreamers an opportunity to acquire permanent lawful status if they meet certain requirements. This legislation&nbsp;was passed last year by the House of Representatives, but has not come up for a vote in the Senate.&nbsp;</p> <p>But many immigration activists are also fighting for broader rights for immigrants. The organization United We Dream has four goals: to win protections for immigrants (like the Dream Act), to defend against deportations, to ensure equal access to education for immigrants, and to demand justice for LGBTQ immigrants.&nbsp;</p> <p>People across the county are also working to protect the thousands of undocumented youth and their families in detention centers, where conditions are inhumane, and the Coronavirus is spreading.&nbsp;</p> <p>The challenges immigrant organizers face are great, but support for their cause is strong.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <h3><br> Closing<br> &nbsp;</h3> <p>Conclude the lesson by playing the video “Home is Here Month of Action”:&nbsp; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2wpxNGYu8A#action=share</p> <p>Prompt: After playing the video invite each student to share one thing they learned today.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <h3><br> Extension Activities</h3> <p>In a follow-up lesson, invite students to research action steps that can be taken to promote immigration reform, such as DACA, the Dream Act, and changes to Department of Homeland Security policies and laws.</p> <p><strong>Resources:</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/dream-act-daca-and-other-policies-designed-protect-dreamers?gclid=CjwKCAjwxev3BRBBEiwAiB_PWJBMNjdF6fegETf9VZgJM-ZkaPI73js9YD9yKiAOm4CxfIbr2Vr56BoCLJsQAvD_BwE">Comparing The Dream Act &amp; DACA</a></li> <li>Alternative video to play for students to close the lesson: “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtrV50AQvYw">Immigration Blues</a>” by Chris Rea&nbsp;</li> <li>NPR Link “<a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/07/01/871625210/you-can-either-be-a-survivor-or-die-covid-19-cases-surge-in-ice-detention">ICE Detention Centers &amp; COVID-19</a>” (4-minute listen)<br> &nbsp;</li> </ul> <hr> <p><br> <strong>Background Sources:</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/18/politics/daca-supreme-court-explainer/index.html">https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/18/politics/daca-supreme-court-explainer/index.html</a></li> <li><a href="https://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/politics/504960-daca-remains-in-place-but-dreamers-still-in-limbo">https://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/politics/504960-daca-remains-in-place-but-dreamers-still-in-limbo</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.fordfoundation.org/ideas/equals-change-blog/posts/building-a-united-dream/">https://www.fordfoundation.org/ideas/equals-change-blog/posts/building-a-united-dream/</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/06/17/americans-broadly-support-legal-status-for-immigrants-brought-to-the-u-s-illegally-as-children/">https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/06/17/americans-broadly-support-legal-status-for-immigrants-brought-to-the-u-s-illegally-as-children/</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dream-and-promise-act-2019-passes-house-approves-bill-that-would-place-millions-of-immigrants-on-path-to-citizenship/">https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dream-and-promise-act-2019-passes-house-approves-bill-that-would-place-millions-of-immigrants-on-path-to-citizenship/</a></li> </ul> <p><br> &nbsp;</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span>Sara Carrero</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2020-07-02T09:50:47-04:00" title="Thursday, July 2, 2020 - 09:50">July 2, 2020</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> Thu, 02 Jul 2020 13:50:47 +0000 Sara Carrero 1452 at https://www.morningsidecenter.org Debating the Fate of DACA https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/debating-fate-daca <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Debating the Fate of DACA</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><h4>&nbsp;</h4> <h4>To the Teacher</h4> <h4>&nbsp;</h4> <p>The last few months have seen intense debate over DACA—Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. DACA is a program that offers undocumented immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children protection from deportation. Starting in early September 2017, actions of the Trump administration called future of the program into question. On September 5, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the administration would begin "winding down" the DACA program. Then on September 14, following significant protests by defenders of DACA, President Trump stated that he was working out a deal with Democrats to retain the program. Currently, the future of DACA remains in question.</p> <p>What is the significance of the DACA program, and why is it raising such intensive debate? This lesson is divided into two readings designed to have students explore the meaning and history of the program, as well as the president's actions around the policy. The first reading describes what DACA is and what actions the Trump administration has taken with regard to the program. The second reading looks at the social movement activism that succeeded in winning DACA during the Obama years, as well as the prospects for future action on the part of advocates.</p> <p>Questions for discussion follow each reading.</p> <h4>&nbsp;</h4> <hr> <h4><br> <strong>Reading One: What is DACA? What did President Trump Do?</strong></h4> <p><img alt src="/sites/default/files/pictures/LA%20DACA%20march%209–10–17%20by%20Molly%20Adams.jpg" style="width: 486px; height: 324px; margin: 12px;"></p> <p>In June 2012, President Obama established a policy called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. This program offered undocumented immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children protection from deportation. Those eligible for the program, an estimated 800,000 young people in the United State, are known as the "Dreamers," named after the DREAM Act that was introduced into Congress prior to the creation of DACA. During his campaign, Donald Trump indicated that he would terminate DACA. However, since taking office, he has sometimes voiced sympathy for the young people protected under the program.</p> <p>On September 5, 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the Trump administration would begin "winding down" the DACA program—a move that met with immediate protest by immigrant rights activists. <em>New York Times </em>White House Correspondent Michael D. Shear <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/05/us/politics/trump-daca-dreamers-immigration.html">described</a> the specifics of Trump's proposed repeal of the DACA program:</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">President Trump on Tuesday ordered an end to the Obama–era program that shields young undocumented immigrants from deportation, calling it an "amnesty–first approach" and urging Congress to pass a replacement before he begins phasing out its protections in six months.</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">As early as March, officials said, some of the 800,000 young adults brought to the United States illegally as children who qualify for the program, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, will become eligible for deportation. The five–year–old policy allows them to remain without fear of immediate removal from the country and gives them the right to work legally.</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">Mr. Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who announced the change at the Justice Department, both used the aggrieved language of anti–immigrant activists, arguing that those in the country illegally are lawbreakers who hurt native–born Americans by usurping their jobs and pushing down wages.</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">Mr. Trump said in a statement that he was driven by a concern for "the millions of Americans victimized by this unfair system." Mr. Sessions said the program had "denied jobs to hundreds of thousands of Americans by allowing those same illegal aliens to take those jobs."</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">Protests broke out in front of the White House and the Justice Department and in cities across the country soon after Mr. Sessions' announcement. Democrats and some Republicans, business executives, college presidents and immigration activists condemned the move as a coldhearted and shortsighted effort that was unfair to the young immigrants and could harm the economy.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>In the same article, <em>New York Times</em> reporter Michael D. Shear describes how, by phasing out DACA, President Trump put the onus on Congress to pass legislation that would provide a more long–term solution:</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">But despite broad and longstanding bipartisan support for measures to legalize unauthorized immigrants brought to the United States as children, the odds of a sweeping immigration deal in a deeply divided Congress appeared long. Legislation to protect the "dreamers" has also repeatedly died in Congress.</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">Just hours after the angry reaction to Mr. Trump's decision, the president appeared to have second thoughts. In a late–evening tweet, Mr. Trump specifically called on Congress to "legalize DACA," something his administration's officials had declined to do earlier in the day.</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">Mr. Trump also warned lawmakers that if they do not legislate a program similar to the one Mr. Obama created through executive authority, he will "revisit this issue!" — a statement sure to inject more uncertainty into the ultimate fate of the young, undocumented immigrants who have been benefiting from the program since 2012....</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">The president's wavering was reflected in a day of conflicting messages from him and his team. Hours after his statement was released, Mr. Trump told reporters that he had "great love" for the beneficiaries of the program he had just ended.<br> &nbsp;</p> <p>A September 5 article in the <em><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/immigration/dacas–day–of–reckoning–white–house–protests–on–the–day–of–trumps–decision/2017/09/04/f5ca534a–9186–11e7–89fa–bb822a46da5b_story.html?utm_term=.119e67a49885">Washington Post</a></em> by reporters Maria Sacchetti and Perry Stein described the importance of DACA to many young people living in the United States:</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">Monica Camacho Perez burst into sobs.</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">"Taking DACA away is taking us back to a really dark time for immigrants," said the 23–year–old Maryland resident, who arrived in the United States from Mexico when she was 7. "This is our country. We are not going anywhere."</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">The decision to rescind ­Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals ends a five–year reprieve for undocumented immigrants who were brought to the country as children, a time when they didn't have to worry about being deported and could legally apply for jobs.</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">In 2012, two years after legislation that would have given these immigrants a path to citizenship failed in Congress, President Barack Obama granted them work permits and the chance to get driver's licenses and attend college. He said they would not be forced to leave just because their parents took them across the border illegally or allowed them to overstay their visas.</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">Critics accused Obama of overstepping his authority and said the young people known as "dreamers" were taking jobs that should go to legal residents. Trump pledged to end DACA if elected. A coalition of Republican officials said they would challenge the program in court if he failed to do so.</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">Now the new president has decided to phase out the program and is challenging Congress to pass legislation if it wants the dreamers to stay.</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">So the DACA recipients' battle is beginning again.</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">In the coming days and weeks, protesters said, they will organize sit–ins to urge U.S. lawmakers to pass immigration legislation, hold meetings on how to avoid deportation agents and scramble to apply for DACA renewals before Trump's six–month grace period runs out.</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">Camacho Perez and 27 others say they will fast until Friday to draw attention to their plight. They and scores of others marched Tuesday in Washington, while students in Denver and Tucson walked out of classes to protest Trump's announcement. Rallies were planned throughout the day and evening in Detroit, Chicago, San Francisco and other cities...</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">"Trump is trying to scare us into hiding, to get us to back down," said Erika Andiola, 30, a DACA recipient from Mexico who has been in the United States since she was 10. "We're not going to back down."...</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">Kathryn Johnston, 68, who lives in the District and joined [a Washington, DC protest in support of DACA], described the United States as "a land of immigrants. Most of us are."</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">"We should welcome immigrants, and we should especially open our arms to the children who have grown up here," she said. "They are Americans in every sense of the word."<br> &nbsp;</p> <p>Less than two weeks after the announcement of the DACA phase–out, President Trump began talks with Democratic leaders Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Nancy Pelosi. These talks may result in a deal to save DACA. As CNN journalists Sophie Tatum, Daniella Diaz, and Dan Merica <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2017/09/13/politics/chuck-schumer-nancy-pelosi-donald-trump/index.html">reported</a> on September 14, 2017:</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">President Donald Trump is moving closer to a deal with Democrats that would protect hundreds of thousands of young undocumented immigrants from deportation.</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">But the parameters of any deal, including a potential pathway to citizenship for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) participants and funding for his marquee campaign promise of a wall along the US–Mexico border are up in the air as the White House and Congress grapple with the impact of a Wednesday dinner between Trump and Democratic leaders.</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">The bombshell developments, which were first announced by Democratic leaders Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi and reiterated by Trump himself Thursday morning, were met with immediate outrage from conservatives and put pressure on the President's Republican allies in Congress.<br> &nbsp;</p> <p>Currently, it remains unclear whether a deal between President Trump and the Democrats to protect young immigrants from deportation will be finalized, what the terms of that agreement will be, and how long such an agreement would be honored. In the meantime, immigrant rights activists and Dreamers uncertain about their future have vowed to continue putting pressure on elected officials for just immigration reform.</p> <hr> <h4><br> For Discussion<br> &nbsp;</h4> <ol> <li>How much of the material in this reading was new to you, and how much was already familiar? Do you have any questions about what you read?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>According to the reading, what protections does DACA provide?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>Who are the "Dreamers"? What are the arguments for why this group of immigrants should be protected from deportation?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>Why do you think that Donald Trump might be sending mixed messages on his position about DACA?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What impact do you think the widespread organizing by Dreamers and their allies has had on the actions and words of politicians on this issue? &nbsp;</li> </ol> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4><br> <strong>Reading Two:</strong><br> <strong>Immigrant Rights Activism, Before and After DACA</strong></h4> <p>Although DACA was implemented by the Obama administration, it was not a policy that came into existence simply owing to the good will of high–ranking politicians. Instead, DACA was the product of many years of organizing and political advocacy on the part of immigrant rights activists—particularly the Dreamers themselves, who took on many risks and sacrifices to form a youth movement that could advance the cause of just immigration reform.</p> <p>In a September 9, 2017, story for <em>Politico</em>, immigration reporter Julia Preston <a href="http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/09/09/dreamers–daca–learned–to–play–politics–215588">described</a> the years of activism that ultimately led to the creation of DACA:<br> &nbsp;</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">Until now, the Dream movement, even when it was growing, has not always been visible, because of the constant risk that people without legal immigration status could pay for activism with the high price of deportation. The Dream Act, a bill providing a pathway to citizenship for young undocumented immigrants, from which the Dreamers take their name, was first introduced in Congress in 2001. But for years it languished unnoticed with little popular support.</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">But every Dreamer has a moment, generally toward the end of high school, when he or she first confronts the hard limitations of being undocumented in America. Often it comes when they want a driver's license, financial aid for college or a first real job. Before DACA, the barriers could become insurmountable, forcing young people to recede into the low–paying limbo of the shadow economy. And about a decade ago, as a large generation of undocumented youth came of age, many of them started to reject the constraints, and a movement began to take shape.</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">In 2008, Cesar Vargas, a Mexican–born undocumented immigrant from Staten Island, New York, was in his first year of law school at the City University of New York, starting to contemplate the likelihood he would never be able to practice law. He began to search online for others in the same predicament.</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">"It started out as a loose network of people who randomly found each other," Vargas says. "The glue that bonded us was the reality of what it means to be undocumented."</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">It was 2009 when Viridiana Martínez, a Mexican growing up in rural North Carolina, first told a reporter about her anger that she couldn't go to college because she couldn't afford the tuition demanded of nonresidents. Julieta Garibay, from a Mexican family in Texas, was thwarted in her goal of becoming a nurse.</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">Gaining confidence as they grew in numbers, they and other Dreamers began to reveal their status, sometimes in public coming–out ceremonies, taunting authorities to deport them. Early on they discovered they could use their personal stories, tales of upward striving the American way, as powerful tactical tools to advance their cause.</p> <p>Preston notes that there's no clear moment when the Dreamers' movement began. Some say it was in 2010, when four immigrants, three of them undocumented, began the "Dream Walk" – a 4–month trek from Miami to Washington to dramatize the plight of the Dreamers. The stories of the marchers, and their courage in putting themselves at risk of deportation to make their statement, inspired many others to take action. Another historic moment came in May 2010, when five immigrants in caps and gowns staged a sit–in at the offices Arizona Senator John McCain. Their act of defiance ended peacefully and without anyone being deported. Preston notes that by late 2010, "the movement was rolling with momentum, with Dreamer rallies proliferating across the country."</p> <p>However, the movement suffered a major blow in December 2010, when the Dream Act failed in the Senate by a narrow vote. The Dream Act would have allowed qualifying immigrants who arrived in the U.S. when they were younger than 18 to first get conditional residency in the U.S., and if they qualified, eventually become permanent residents.&nbsp; (Although the Dream Act has not been passed, a number of states have passed legislation with similar provisions.)</p> <p>Politico's Julia Preston <a href="http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/09/09/dreamers–daca–learned–to–play–politics–215588">described</a> what happened after the federal Dream Act was defeated:<br> &nbsp;</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">Movement leaders became convinced that Obama, who was in the midst of his reelection campaign, had the power to stop deportations on a larger scale. Street protests picked up pace, focused on the president rather than his Republican rival, Mitt Romney. In early June 2012, two protesters closed down the Denver offices of Obama's campaign for a week with a hunger strike, shocking his staff.</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">Obama announced DACA on June 15. With no approval from Congress, the program was only temporary, providing protection against deportation for Dreamers for two–year renewable terms. But it also came with a work permit and a Social Security number, opening many doors.</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">"It was incredible, almost surreal, to see the power we had to make the president act," Garibay recalls.<br> &nbsp;</p> <p>At this moment of uncertainty about the future of DACA, many people are reflecting on how DACA was won and what might be needed to secure even larger wins for immigrants in the future. <em>In These Times</em> contributing editor Michelle Chen <a href="http://inthesetimes.com/article/20488/daca–trump–immigrant–deportation–dreamer–protest1">wrote</a> in a September 5 article about the immigrant rights movement's plans for continued advocacy:<br> &nbsp;</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">[L]osing DACA would be uniquely damaging for immigrant communities because it would directly affect hundreds of thousands of young people already living, working, attending school and raising families in the United States. The campaign to preserve DACA, a status that, while temporary, allowed many to work legally and attend college for the first time, has fueled snowballing nationwide protests—branded with the slogan "#Heretostay"—as well as vocal opposition from progressive policymakers and business groups. As one of the most sympathetic faces of the immigrant rights movement, the "DACAmented" community have rallied schools, employers and civic institutions across the country who have come to embrace them, despite the deep dysfunction of the American immigration system...</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">Many of the DACAmented activists had been pushing for expanded reforms toward the end of the Obama administration, including the extension of DACA protection for undocumented parents...</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">However the politics unfold, in many ways, the program's future may also lie with the youth themselves, if they can leverage the power that DACA has enabled them to seize. DACA status has evolved into more than a mere legal designation. Despite all its inherent uncertainties, DACA is a reflection of both what is achievable and of the long struggle ahead.</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">"This was a victory that we made," said United We Dream organizer Josue de Luna Navarro, who has lived in the United States since age 9 and currently attends college in New Mexico. "It wasn't just an act of grace from Obama's administration. It was our own energy that we put into this, our own strategies, and our own communities working up to this moment. And we have to protect it and have that message that we're here to stay."</p> <p style="margin–left:.5in;">There is simply no going back for the youth at the frontlines of the crisis. By going against a growing consensus over what is fair and just for America's undocumented youth, Trump may well find himself playing with an empty hand, while the movement in the streets that helped win DACA in the first place continues to mobilize for migrant justice.<br> &nbsp;</p> <p>Regardless of how the DACA debate turns out, advocates will continue to work for a more comprehensive reform that can address the concerns of the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants living in this country.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4><br> For Discussion<br> &nbsp;</h4> <ol> <li>How much of the material in this reading was new to you, and how much was already familiar? Do you have any questions about what you read?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>According to the reading, what role did youth immigrant rights activists have in the creation of DACA?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>When you read about the protests that Dreamers engaged in before DACA came into effect, which tactic or tactics stand out to you? Why do you think those tactics might have been effective?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>As you read about the actions of President Trump and Democratic leaders attempting to form a deal to keep DACA, can you think of one or two actions immigration activists could do next to help ensure that they can safely remain in the U.S., the country they have grown up in?</li> </ol> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <p>—<em>Research assistance provided by Ryan Leitner.</em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span>fionta</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2017-09-18T08:58:17-04:00" title="Monday, September 18, 2017 - 08:58">September 18, 2017</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> Mon, 18 Sep 2017 12:58:17 +0000 fionta 311 at https://www.morningsidecenter.org Discussing DACA https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/discussing-daca <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Discussing DACA</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><h4>Gathering</h4> <p>&nbsp;<br> Ask students what they know about the DACA program and why it is currently in the news.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> Tell students that on September 5, 2017, the Trump administration announced that it will phase out a program called DACA, "Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals."&nbsp; Elicit and explain some or all of the information below.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> DACA is an Obama–era program that allows some young undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children to avoid deportation.&nbsp;The Trump administration urged Congress to come up with a replacement for DACA, or else in six months, these immigrants will be at risk of being deported. During his run for the presidency, then–candidate Trump often talked about "getting tough on immigration," so his DACA announcement didn't come as a real surprise to anyone. &nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> DACA came into being in June 2012, when President Obama, frustrated with Congress's failure to pass more substantive immigration reform, a measure called the Dream Act, took matters into his own hands. (The young people who have been protected by DACA are often called Dreamers because many would have been eligible to become U.S. residents under the Dream Act.)<br> &nbsp;<br> Obama created the DACA program using an executive order. DACA offered recipients renewable protection from deportation every two years and allowed them to work legally in the U.S. To qualify, applicants had to have entered the U.S. before the age of 16 and had to be under the age of 31 on June 15, 2012. They had to be in school or possess a high school diploma.&nbsp; They had to have lived in the U.S. continuously since 2007 and not have a criminal record.<br> &nbsp;<br> Around 800,000 young people are currently being shielded from deportation by the program.&nbsp; If DACA is rescinded, young people and families across the country will be affected in negative ways.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4>Video Clip and Discussion</h4> <p>&nbsp;<br> Play the following <em>NY Times</em> "<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/politics/100000005403642/what–dreamers–gained–from–daca–and–stand–to–lose.html?mcubz=0" target="_blank">Immigration Debate</a>" video clip all the way through:<br> &nbsp;<br> Invite students to share their thoughts and feelings about the clip. &nbsp;Next, consider some or all of the following questions to facilitate a group discussion about the video:<br> &nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>Was there anything in particular that stood out to you about the clip, or that especially resonated with you?</li> <li>Was there a "voice" or "story" that struck you?&nbsp; Why?</li> <li>Were you able to relate to any of the young people in the video?&nbsp; How?</li> <li>Did you notice any similarities or differences between the stories?</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;<br> Consider playing the video clip a second time, this time asking students to keep in mind the following questions as they watch the video (if they have not already been addressed in the earlier discussion):<br> &nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>What is the impact of DACA on these young people?</li> <li>How do these young people talk about their family?</li> <li>How do these young people identify themselves?</li> <li>Why do you think they consider the U.S. home?</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4>Small Group Discussions:&nbsp; Various Responses</h4> <p>&nbsp;<br> Divide your class into small groups of four or five. &nbsp;Distribute these pdf &nbsp;<a href="http://www.morningsidecenter.org/sites/default/files/documents–pdfs/DiscussingDACA.pdf" target="_blank">handouts</a>&nbsp;(also included at the end of this lesson). Invite students to read one of the five responses to President Trump's DACA decision, then discuss it in their small groups according to the two questions below.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> After about ten minutes, bring the groups back together and invite them to share out what was discussed in their small groups.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> Finally, ask students if there are any questions they have about the DACA issue. Chart questions students may have and develop a homework assignment or future lesson around these questions.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4>Closing: Connections</h4> <p>&nbsp;<br> Explain that "connections" is a time to offer reflections or feelings about the work we've done together today. It's an opportunity to share briefly what's on your mind or in your heart (if you feel so moved).<br> &nbsp;<br> "Connections" comes from a Quaker tradition. People speak if they feel moved to speak.&nbsp; It's not a discussion or go–round.&nbsp; If there is silence, that's fine.&nbsp; Enjoy the silence as a time for reflection.<br> &nbsp;<br> Set your timer for three or four minutes and let the reflections unfold. When the timer goes off, it's over. There's no need for follow–up discussion.</p> <div>&nbsp;</div> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4><a href="http://www.morningsidecenter.org/sites/default/files/documents–pdfs/DiscussingDACA.pdf" target="_blank">Handouts PDF</a></h4> <hr> <h4>Handout, Washington Post 1&nbsp;</h4> <p>&nbsp;<br> <em>Information and quotes excerpted from the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/higher–education/the–latest–denver–teachers–students–protest–daca–decision/2017/09/05/3e0d6474–9265–11e7–8482–8dc9a7af29f9_story.html?utm_term=.aae8bf27387b">Washington Post</a>. </em><br> &nbsp;<br> Advocates of immigration restrictions are applauding the demise of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program [DACA] and say any effort to save it must be tied to new enforcement measures.<br> &nbsp;<br> Center for Immigration Studies executive director Mark Krikorian says he backs keeping DACA if it comes with a requirement that employers electronically verify the immigration status of anyone they hire. He also says DACA recipients must be prohibited from getting legal status for their families and that the program can't result in an increase in the overall number of green cards.<br> &nbsp;<br> Dan Stein of the Federation for American Immigration Reform calls DACA an "unconstitutional abuse of executive authority" and says Congress now has a chance to keep it in place as part of a broader package that may include the border wall, more restrictions on legal immigration and stepped–up deportation efforts.<br> &nbsp;<br> U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Tuesday the administration will stop accepting new applications for DACA. Congress will get six months to pass a new version before officials stop renewing permits."&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> <strong>Discuss:</strong><br> &nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>How does this relate to the youth voices we heard earlier today?</li> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about that?</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4>&nbsp;Handout 2, Time</h4> <p>&nbsp;<br> <em>Information excerpted from <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2110070/trump-administration-sued-15-states-over-ending-daca">Associated Press</a>.</em><br> &nbsp;<br> Fifteen states and the District of Columbia on sued Wednesday to block President Donald Trump's plan to end a program protecting young immigrants from deportation — an act Washington state's attorney general called "a dark time for our country."<br> &nbsp;<br> The lawsuit was filed in the Eastern District of New York. The plaintiffs were New York, Massachusetts, Washington, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia. ...<br> &nbsp;<br> Opponents of the [DACA] program said they are pleased with the Trump administration's decision. They called DACA an unconstitutional abuse of executive power but proponents of the program said the move by Trump was cruel."&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> <strong>Discuss:</strong><br> &nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>How does this relate to the youth voices we heard earlier today?</li> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about that?</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4>Handout 3, Washington Post 2</h4> <p><em>&nbsp;<br> Information excerpted from the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/higher–education/the–latest–denver–teachers–students–protest–daca–decision/2017/09/05/3e0d6474–9265–11e7–8482–8dc9a7af29f9_story.html?utm_term=.aae8bf27387b">Washington Post </a>&nbsp;</em><br> &nbsp;<br> Hundreds of teachers and students are demonstrating outside Metro State University in Denver to protest President Donald Trump's decision to repeal a program protecting young immigrants from deportation.<br> &nbsp;<br> Protesters held posters Tuesday saying, "Accept my resistance and expect my resistance" and "No borders, no nations, no racists, no deportations."<br> &nbsp;<br> Demonstrations are occurring nationwide, including outside Trump Tower in Manhattan, near the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Phoenix, and in Miami, where young immigrants from Honduras, Mexico and Colombia are expressing shock and sadness.<br> &nbsp;<br> In Los Angeles, marchers are gathering downtown."<br> &nbsp;<br> <strong>Discuss:</strong><br> &nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>How does this relate to the youth voices we heard earlier today?</li> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about that?</li> </ul> <hr> <h4>Handout 4, Los Angeles Times&nbsp;</h4> <p>&nbsp;<br> <em>Information excerpted from the <a href="http://www.latimes.com/politics/la–dreamers–decision–live–updates–read–former–president–obama–s–response–1504638282–htmlstory.html">Los Angeles Times</a>. </em><br> &nbsp;<br> Former President Barack Obama issued this statement a few hours after the Trump administration announced it would phase out the DACA program. ...<br> &nbsp;<br> "Immigration can be a controversial topic. &nbsp;We all want safe, secure borders and a dynamic economy, and people of goodwill can have legitimate disagreements about how to fix our immigration system so that everybody plays by the rules.<br> &nbsp;<br> But that's not what the action that the White House took today is about. &nbsp;This is about young people who grew up in America – kids who study in our schools, young adults who are starting careers, patriots who pledge allegiance to our flag. &nbsp;These Dreamers are Americans in their hearts, in their minds, in every single way but one: on paper. &nbsp;They were brought to this country by their parents, sometimes even as infants. &nbsp;They may not know a country besides ours. &nbsp;They may not even know a language besides English. &nbsp;They often have no idea they're undocumented until they apply for a job, or college, or a driver's license. ...<br> &nbsp;<br> Let's be clear: the action taken today isn't required legally. &nbsp;It's a political decision, and a moral question. &nbsp;Whatever concerns or complaints Americans may have about immigration in general, we shouldn't threaten the future of this group of young people who are here through no fault of their own, who pose no threat, who are not taking away anything from the rest of us.&nbsp;"&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> <strong>Discuss:</strong><br> &nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>How does this relate to the youth voices we heard earlier today?</li> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about that?</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4>Handout 5, Newsmax.com</h4> <p>&nbsp;<br> <em>Information excerpted from <a href="http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/conservatives–reaction–daca–decision/2017/09/05/id/811751/">Newsmax</a>.</em><br> &nbsp;<br> &nbsp;Conservatives across the country are reacting to President Donald Trump's decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, and their views are mixed.<br> &nbsp;<br> Roughly 800,000 people have benefited from the program, which allows people who illegally came to the United States as children with their parents to stay if they meet certain criteria. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Tuesday morning the policy will come to an end in six months.<br> &nbsp;<br> Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R–Texas,&nbsp;said the policy had good intentions, but it should not have been implemented by executive orders in 2012 under former President Barack Obama.<br> &nbsp;<br> "This policy, while well–intentioned, was implemented without the approval of Congress by a president who exceeded his authority under the Constitution," Cornyn said. "This president now has the chance to work with Congress towards finding a solution to this issue where his predecessor failed."<br> &nbsp;<br> Sen. John McCain, R–Ariz., had a different opinion on the matter.<br> &nbsp;<br> "President Trump's decision to eliminate DACA is the wrong approach to immigration policy at a time when both sides of the aisle need to come together to reform our broken immigration system and secure the border," McCain said. "I strongly believe that children who were illegally brought into this country through no fault of their own should not be forced to return to a country they do not know."&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> <strong>Discuss:</strong><br> &nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>How does this relate to the youth voices we heard earlier today?</li> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about that?</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span>fionta</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2017-09-11T12:01:12-04:00" title="Monday, September 11, 2017 - 12:01">September 11, 2017</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> Mon, 11 Sep 2017 16:01:12 +0000 fionta 312 at https://www.morningsidecenter.org DACA: A Reflective Circle https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/daca-reflective-circle <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>DACA: A Reflective Circle</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><h4>&nbsp;</h4> <h4>To the Teacher<br> &nbsp;</h4> <p>On September 5, 2017, the Trump administration announced that it will phase out a program called DACA, "Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals."</p> <p>DACA is an Obama–era program that allows some young undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children to avoid deportation.&nbsp;The Trump administration urged Congress to come up with a replacement for DACA, or else in six months, these immigrants will be at risk of being deported. During his run for the presidency, then–candidate Trump often talked about "getting tough on immigration," so his DACA announcement didn’t come as a real surprise to anyone. &nbsp;</p> <p>DACA came into being in June 2012, when President Obama, frustrated with Congress's failure to pass more substantive immigration reform, a measure called the Dream Act, took matters into his own hands. (The young people who have been protected by DACA are often called Dreamers because many would have been eligible to become U.S. residents under the Dream Act.)</p> <p>Obama created the DACA program using an executive order. DACA offered recipients renewable protection from deportation every two years and allowed them to work legally in the U.S. To qualify, applicants had to have entered the U.S. before the age of 16 and had to be under the age of 31 on June 15, 2012. They had to be in school or possess a high school diploma.&nbsp; They had to have lived in the U.S. continuously since 2007 and not have a criminal record.</p> <p>Around 800,000 young people are currently being shielded from deportation by the program.&nbsp; If DACA is rescinded, young people and families across the country will be affected in negative ways.&nbsp; As a result, young people in many classrooms across the country will have strong feelings about the Trump administration’s announcement.</p> <p>This activity uses a circle format – it includes an "opening ceremony" and a series of go–rounds, using the prompts below and a "talking piece," if that is your classroom practice. Circles can be a way for people to process some of their thoughts and feelings among peers who may be experiencing similar thoughts and feelings; it encourages partipants to listen, bear witness, and create a supportive space. See our <a href="https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/introduction-circles">guidelines</a> for restorative circles.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4><br> Opening Ceremony<br> &nbsp;</h4> <p>Read the following poem by Langston Hughes out loud:<br> &nbsp;</p> <p class="rteindent1">Bring me all of your dreams,<br> You dreamer,<br> Bring me all your<br> Heart melodies<br> That I may wrap them<br> In a blue cloud–cloth<br> Away from the too–rough fingers<br> Of the world.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p> <p>In a go–round, invite students to share what comes to mind as they hear this poem.</p> <p>Draw on what students share, and refer to the news that the Trump administration has announced a plan to end DACA ("Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals") in six months. Tell students&nbsp;that the young people who are protected by DACA are often known as Dreamers. This is a reference to the "Dream Act," a more comprehensive immigration reform plan that would have protected many young immigrants. (The Dream Act is short for the "Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors.")<br> &nbsp;</p> <h4>Go round:</h4> <p>Invite students to share their thoughts and feelings about the Trump administration decision.&nbsp; How do they relate to Langston’s Hughes poem?<br> &nbsp;</p> <h4>Go round:</h4> <p>Invite students to share any reflections, connections or additions on the previous go round.&nbsp; If needed, allow several rounds for this second prompt to allow students to continue sharing their thoughts and feelings, which may help provide support for any students who are especially upset by the news.</p> <p>When it is your turn to speak, share your own thoughts and feelings, acknowledge the feelings that have been shared, and perhaps summarize some of what students are talking about.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p> <h4>Go round:</h4> <p>Going back to the poem at the start of this circle, invite students to share how they might support each other during this challenging time. Can they be a buffer for each other from the too–rough fingers of the world?&nbsp; Can they stand by each other to provide support?&nbsp; What are some of the needs people have in the circle today?</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>Closing</h4> <p>Depending on how today’s circle went, consider one of the following two closings.<br> &nbsp;</p> <h4>&nbsp;1: Connections<br> &nbsp;</h4> <p>Explain that "connections" is a time to offer reflections or feelings about the work we’ve done together today. It’s an opportunity to share briefly what’s on your mind or in your heart (if you feel so moved).</p> <p>"Connections" comes from a Quaker tradition. People speak if they feel moved to speak.&nbsp; It’s not a discussion or go–round.&nbsp; If there is silence, that’s fine.&nbsp; Enjoy the silence as a time for reflection.</p> <p>Set your timer for three or four minutes and let the reflections unfold. When the timer goes off, it’s over. There’s no need for follow–up discussion.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>2: Activism<br> &nbsp;</h4> <p>Show&nbsp;<a href="https://thinkprogress.org/">this website</a>, and scroll through some of the actions that students across the country have organized to protest the Trump administration’s DACA decision.</p> <p>In a go–round, invite students’ thoughts and feelings.&nbsp;</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span>fionta</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2017-09-07T15:31:02-04:00" title="Thursday, September 7, 2017 - 15:31">September 7, 2017</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> Thu, 07 Sep 2017 19:31:02 +0000 fionta 314 at https://www.morningsidecenter.org