Promising Practices

Immigration beyond Ellis Island

Suggestions for Teaching about Immigration in the Now

Kazi I. Hossain

Introduction from observing student teachers teaching discussions of immigration from present “immigration” units in fifth and sixth day perspectives. “American is a land of immigrants” is grade classrooms. All of these observations probably the most common line in many of involve student teachers teaching “immi- our social studies textbooks. Immigrants Why Go beyond Ellis Island? gration” from what I see as the Ellis Island are part and parcel of American society. perspective. If one seeks to make a list of famous They are the fabric that creates the “quilt Most of these units I have observed landmarks in the U.S., Ellis Island will of the American population.” Our history have these common elements: where our probably be among the first ten. It is indeed books are abundant with stories of immi- forefathers came from; asking children in one of the most recognized landmarks in grants who contributed to the development the classroom to interview their parents or the world. It goes hand in hand with the of this country. In terms of social studies grandparents to find authentic information famous statement “America is a land of im- curriculum, all states require schools to about the their country of origin; watching migrants.” Ellis Island cannot be excluded teach about immigration. However, the a video on Ellis Island; taking a virtual when discussing the topic of immigration, question is how to teach this topic in a tour of Ellis Island called “An Interac- whether in classrooms, in social settings, manner that will give our students—el- tive Tour of Ellis Island: An Immigration or in the political arenas. ementary through high school—a better Activity” published by Scholastic; and However, the discussions that revolve understanding of this important topic. role playing the experiences the students’ around the historical role of Ellis Island For example, the presidential election parents or grandparents may have had at seldom bears any relationship to present of 2012 was significant in many ways. Ellis Island. day immigrants’ experiences. In order to Obama was the first Black president seek- These units also include books about highlight the current immigration process ing a second term. His opponent was the Ellis Island and the life of immigrants and experiences of the newly arrived im- first Mormon presidential candiate. Both here in the United States. Plans for these migrants one must go beyond the Ellis candidates need to respond to a financial units have the approval of the cooperating Island perspectives. meltdown, high unemployment, and other teachers, likely because they probably have Holistic understanding of comtempo- societal crises. Yet another significant topic taught the unit in the same manner. rary immigration issues in the U.S. must that took center stage in the presidential One thing that is glaringly missing involve discussion of current government debate was the issue of comprehensive from the above mentioned scenario is any procedures and political debates. To do immigration reform. discusssion on current immigration issues. otherwise will create misconceptions and This discussion became more heated Observing the student teachers teaching misunderstandings. If the current im- with the passage of Arizona’s controver- these units on immigration creates the migration process and experiences are sial immigration law S. B 1070 in 2010. impression that “immigration” happened not addressed, students at all levels will America’s concern about immigration goes only in the past and thus is considered an continues to maintain “Myths About Im- in cycles, gaining momenturm mostly in historical event. migration” (Costello, 2011). election years, as was the case in 2012. To verify if this teaching senario is Some of the most prevalent myths My expertize on this topic comes in only taking place in fifth and sixth grade identified by Costello include: part from my own experiences as an im- classrooms, I asked my student in a migrant who came to the United States Most immigrants are here illegally. multicultiral education course at a state as a graduate student some 24 years ago. university campus about their experiences Today’s immigrants don’t want to blend My understanding of how this topic is be- in and become Americanized. in learning about immigration. In every ing taught in our school classrooms comes semester for the last 12 years, nine out of Immigrants take good jobs from Ameri- ten students indicated that they learned cans. Kazi I. Hossain is an assistant professor about immigration—both at the middle Undocumented immigrants don’t pay and coordinator for the post-baccalaureate and high school levels—through the Ellis taxes but still get benefits. and M.Ed. programs in elementary education Island perspectives without any discussion of current events related to immigration. Anyone who enters the country illegally in the Department of Early, Middle, is a criminal. and Exceptional Education Very few of my college students indi- at Millersville University of Pennsylvania, cated that their teachers at the middle and It is the responsibilty of the teachers to Millersville, Pennsylvania. high school levels has ever entertained any debunk these myths in order to allow our

MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION 56 Promising Practices students to have a better understanding of However, the present day immigration urging Congress to increase the number of current immigrants and the contemporary processes are much more complex, time H1-B visas, particularly to meet the need immigration process. Teachers need to consuming, and costly. The complexity of in the field of science and technology. To compare the past immigrants’ experiences this process is rightly stated by Vargas this effect, MicroSoft’s Bill Gates in 2008 through Ellis Island with the immigrants’ (2012): “The road to citizenship can go on urged Congress to do just that in testimony experiences of today. months—or decades.” The following section to the House Committee on Science and However, before this comparison can offers background on current immigration Technology (New York Times, 2008). take place in a classroom, teachers must and citizenship processes. Immigrants under this category can have some solid knowledge about current later apply for “Green Card” or “Permanent immigration processes. The intent of this Pathways to Legal Immigration Resident” status, which could then lead article is to provide background informa- them to citizenship in a manner similar tion and resources for teachers to teach Teachers addressing immigration in to the people who arrive through “Fam- about immigration through current per- today’s middle and high school classrooms ily Sponsorship.” However, to apply for a spectives. need to understand and teach about the “Green Card” from an H1-B visa an ap- structure and procedures of the curent plicant must pay fees of $1650 or more. Legal vs Illegal Immigrants system. Following are some basics for It is important to note that foreign stu- beginning that conversation. dents who earn either an undergraduate or We are all familiar with the term “Il- Today, legal immigrants can come to a graduate degree from U.S. universities or legal Immigrants” due, at least in part, the United States in many different ways colleges are also required to apply for an to the last presidential election. These and can enter the country through any H1-B visa if they choose to work while in immigrants are defined as the individu- major city by air travel as well as by land— America. Hiring organizations must apply als who came to the U.S. without proper crossing the U.S.-Mexico or U.S.-Canadian for an H1-B visa on behalf of the student. documentation and the majority of them borders. The four major legal approaches to In addition, the hiring organization must came through the southern boder from immigration are: family sponsorship, em- prove to the USCIS that the candidates Mexico in the middle of the night to avoid ployer request, refugee and asylum status, they select were the best qualified indi- U.S. Custom and Immigration Service and DV lottery ( Gollnick & Chinn, 2013). viduals among all the applicants—both (USCIS) officials. U.S. citizens and non-citizens. These illegal immigrants are in our Family Sponsorship conversations through news reports, Any U.S. citizen can sponsor their Refugees & Asylum articles, talk radio shows, and even from immediate family members from their the chambers of the U.S. Congress. Unfor- In various parts of the world people country of orgin. To complete this process get displaced due to civil war or war with tunately, most of these conversations are can take anywhere between three months negative, including such phrases as: another country. These displaced people to about ten years. This type of immigrant typically take shelter at refugee camps. . . . they are taking our jobs, comes to the U.S. as a “Permanent Resi- Examples of conflicts from which refugees dent” or “Green Card” holder. The applicant . . .they drive our labor wages low since have fled include Afganistan, Iraq, Syria, must pay $420 for each person being spon- the Bulkan War in the 1990s, and civil they are willing to work less than the sored (USCIS, 2013). They are eligible to minimum wage, wars in Liberia and Somalia. According to apply for U.S. citizenship after completing USCIS (2013) these refugess and asylees . . . they come to use our welfare system, five years as a “Permanent Resident.” are defined as, “… people who have been get free education for their children, persecuted or fear they will be persecuted . . . their presence has increased the crime Employer Request on account of race, religion, nationality, rate, etc. U.S. companies and various other and/or membership in a particular social The list goes on. organizations can request federal govern- group or political opinion.” In the midst of the discussions on ille- ment permission to hire people from over- The individuals under these categiries gal immigrants, the experiences of the legal seas or foreigners who are currently in the do not have to pay any fees to apply for immigrants got lost in the process. The ab- U.S. This is most commonly known as an refugee or asylum status. Refugees are sence of the legal immigrants in the above H1-B visa. Under this visa, an employer given government assistance for medical mentioned conversations gives a perception can hire a person with “extraordinary abil- examination and travelling cost from their that “Legal Immigration” is something of ity” (Gollnick & Chinn, 2013) in the field of refugee camps. Many of the refugees get the past that only took place through Ellis science and technology, professionals with assistance through various religious and Island when our grandparents and great an advance degree, athletes, and skilled non-profit organizations in cordination grandparents came to this country. and unskilled workers—in any area where with the Office of Refugee Resettlement in Most state curriculum standards re- there is a shortage of expertise. the U.S. Department of Health and Human quire schools to teach about “immigration.” USCIS, a federal government agency, Services. Both refugees and asylees are To fulfill this requirement, teachers ad- has issued 65,000 H1-B visas each recent required to apply for a “Green Card” within dress this topic from historical perpectives, year (USCIS, 2013). To apply for the a year of receiving their initial status. leaving aside the issues involved in current employment visa either the employer or debates. During the historical period of El- the applicant must pay fees that range DV (Diversity Visa) Lottery lis Island, on the very day people arrived between $320 to $580 depending on the According to the U.S. State Depart- in the United States they would become type of employment. Many business or- ment (2013), “The congressionally man- U.S. residents or citizens immediately. ganizations and corporations have been dated Diversity Immigrant Visa Program

FALL 2014 57 Promising Practices makes available up to 55,000 diversity Card” status either through sponsoring FBI clearance, and a criminal background visas (DVs) annually, drawn from random family members or an employment visa check. selection among all entries to persons who (H1-B) may hire an immigration lawyer to 5. The legal immigrant must pass the meet strict eligibility requirements from help process their papers. In such cases in “Citizenship Test” which includes testing countries with low rates of immigration addition to the immigration fees collected in both English and civics. The English to the United States.” However, winning by USCIS, the immigrants also have to pay section has three parts: reading, writing, this lottery does not guarantee that an lawyer fees which range anywhere from and oral tests. individual will be eligible to enter the U.S. $3,000 to $6,000. I personally paid $4,300 6. Once all of the above steps have been Each individual has to complete a lengthy in lawyer fees back in 2002. successfully completed, a candidate for cit- form, go through a rigorous background It is important to remind students as izenship must take the “Citizenship Oath” check and a medical check up, and pay they study immigration that the goal of all to complete the process. After taking the immigration fees. These immigration fees immigrants—from the time of Ellis Island oath, the immigrant receives a “Citizen- sometimes are a huge burden for many to the present day—is to make their lives ship Certificate.” This certificate allows who comes from developing countries. better than what they had prior to coming them to obtain a U.S. Passport and enjoy Once an individual receives notification all the other privileges similar to those to the U.S. This is why American is known of the U.S. born citizens. However, these from the U.S. government that he or she is around the world as “A Land of Opportu- naturalized citizens are not eligible to run the winner of the DV Lottery, completing nity.” for the office of president, as that privilege all the formalites may take anywhere from is reserved for U.S. born citizens. three to six months before the person can Pathways to Citizenship come to the U.S. All DV winners come as Conclusion a “Permanent Resident” or “Green Card” All legal immigrants, regardless of holder. Just like the first two categories, the path they choose to become a perma- When the United States of America these DV immigrants are also eligible to nent residence or “Green Card” holder, is concerned, immigration is a never end- apply for citizenship after five years from ultimately have to apply for U.S. Citi- ing event since the U.S. is indeed a land the time of receiving their “Green Card.” zenship in order to obtain the same full of immigrants. Thus teaching aimed at It is important to note that once these privileges of a U.S. born citizen. Without developing an appropriate awareness of DV winnners come to the United Staes, it citizenship, legal immigrants are not eli- the immigratiom process is essential. The is their resposibility to find jobs and hous- gible for the following privileges: voting question, however, is how should we pres- ing accommodations. The U.S. government in any election, service as a juror, running ent this to our students so that will be does not provide such benefits for the DV for any elected office, receiving unemploy- meaningful and relevant? winners. In other words, DV winners are ment benefits, or receiving social welfare Addressing this topic only from the not eligible for any unemployment benefits benefits. However, legal immigrants can historical Ellis Island point of view does or welfare assistance because they are only serve in the millitary without being a U.S. not give aclear picture of this very complex in “Permanent Residence” or “Green Card” citizen. Once legal immigrants become a set of issues. In this article I have attempt- status and are not a U.S. citizen. U.S. Citizen, they are called “naturalized ed to provide some current information Many of the DV immigrants do odd citizens” to distinguish them from a U.S. about immigration that educators can use jobs even though they may have bachelors, born citizens. to enrich and update their curriculum and masters, or medical degrees from their The process of getting U.S. citizenship their teaching. home countries, because their degrees is now vastly different from the Ellis Island Teachers must update their knowl- often are not recognized or accepted in period. Today’s process is more lengthy and edge on this topic frequently because the the U.S. For example, people with foreign costly and involves several steps. To apply processes and the information provided medical degrees must pass the Medical for naturalized citizen status a legal immi- in this article will likely change down the Board Examination and complete a medi- grant must proceed through the following road, just as it has since the time of Ellis cal residency before they are eligible to steps: Island. To aid in this updating, another resource teachers can use when covering practice medicine in the U.S. 1. A legal immigrant must be a “Green This exam involves significant prepa- Card” holder or “Permanent Resident” for this topic is to contact an individual who ration time and financial cost, which many five years. However, if a person is married has recently become a naturalized citizen. of the DV immigrants don’t have because to a U.S. citizen, he/she is eligible to apply Educators can invite such an individual they are working long hours just to make for citizenship in three years. into their classrooms and allow them to share their experiences with students. ends meant. While there are many who do 2. The legal immigrant must com- find time to prepare for the exam and save plete “Form N-400: Application for Natu- All such efforts will greatly assist our money for the the exam fee, it typically ralization” (USCIS, 2013). With this students to have a better understanding of takes many years to achieve this goal. application the applicant must pay a fee and appreciation for immigrants and the Others DV immigrants also try to earn of $680.00 (USCIS, 2013). This amount is immigration process in order to overcome a degree from U.S. colleges or universities non-refundable even if the application is the misconception that “all immigrants are denied for any reason. in order to make their lives better, in a illegal” or that “immigration is an histori- manner similar to earlier immigrants who 3. The legal immigrant must complete a cal events that took place during the Ellis came through Ellis Island. medical check up by a designated physi- Island period.” cians approved by the USCIS. Legal Assistance Often Needed 4. The legal immigrant must go through References It is important to note that in many rigorous security clearances which include, Costello, M. (2011, Spring). The human face of cases, the immigrants who apply for “Green among other things: finger printing, an immigration. Teaching Tolerance, 39, 27-29.

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Gollnick, D., & Chinn, P. (2013). Multicultural vgnextoid=1f1c3e4d77d73210VgnVCM1000 what is needed for better work force. New education in a pluralistic society. Upper 00082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=1f1c3e4 York Times, March 13. Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. d77d73210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD Vargas, J. A. (2012). Shadow Americans. TIME, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (US- U.S. State Department. (2013). Retrieved on May 179(25), 34-42. CIS). (2013). Retrieved on May 28, 2013, from 28, 2013, from http://travel.state.gov/visa/im- http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menu- migrants/types_1322.html#overview item.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/ New York Times. (2008). Gates tells Congress

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