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1. What are refugees?
2. How do people immigrate?
3. Where do people immigrate from and to?
4. How are people impacted by immigration?

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1. Why would people leave their home?
2. How do people feel when they immigrate?
3. What is the US doing to help with the causes of immigration?

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1. Why is it difficult for immigrants to move?
2. How would you problem solve some of these obstacles?
3. What is the most difficult obstacle that immigrants have to overcome?

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1. What can you personally do to help immigrants?
2. What can your community do to help immigrants?
3. What is the best resource for immigrants when they move to a new country?
4. How can you welcome immigrants/refugees?

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With a different perspective on immigration, this story details how an Italian family came to America. Rather than fleeing war like other stories represent, this book provides readers with an opportunity to understand another common cause of immigration. This book shows two significant moves in this Italian family's heritage, with a happy little shovel along the way.

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Perfect for this age group, this book answers the question of what a refugee is. The author explains that refugees are just like the readers of this book, that they fled from danger and want to live in a place of safety and peace. At the end of this book, the author interviewed 6 refugee kids and gave mini biographies about 7 famous refugees. This book would allow students to comprise their lists of causes of immigration.

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From the point of view of a young girl, this book explains how a regular day can change in the blink of an eye. Sitting at school when all the sudden a bomb goes off outside, the families are forced to leave their home in search for a more peaceful life. Explaining one of the causes of immigration, war, this book details the beautiful story of adjusting to a new home after war took everything.

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This book details the story of Salma trying to make her mother happy in their new home. Separated from her father, Salma notices that her mother hasn't smiled since they left their old country. To boost her spirits, she enlists the help of her community to make one of her mom's favorite dishes from home.

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Meaning Shining Wisdom, Yoon starts at a new school in a new country and has to learn a whole new language. With the guidance of her teacher and peers, Yoon soon overcomes the language barrier and learns new words, including her name. From her first hand perspective, Yoon is an example of perseverance within the immigrant community.

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Something Happened to My Dad by Ann Hazzard and Vivianne Rivera

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Something Happened to My Dad by Ann Hazzard and Vivianne Rivera

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Addressing the difficult aspect of immigration, becoming a legal citizen in their new home, this story details how a community rallies behind one immigrant family. When Carmen's dad gets arrested one day, she finds herself planning a talent for the school talent show alone. Surrounded by her friends and family, Carmen is supported to find courage during the uncertain time of her father's detention.

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Set in an elementary classroom, Unhei is the new student, too shy to share her real Korean name. The other students in her classroom create a name jar full of their ideas for what she should call herself. Incorporating friendship and kindness, this book provides a great example of how to welcome a new student and be respectful of where they came from.

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Through the point of view of a young girl, this story details the obstacle of family separation during the immigrant journey. Once all together, then quickly separated, this young girl has to find ways to keep her father in her heart when he gets deported. Addressing issues of deportation, natural citizenship and illegal immigration, this story outlines strong emotions surrounding immigration.

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From Far Away by Robert Munsch & Saoussan Askar

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From Far Away by Robert Munsch & Saoussan Askar

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This book opens with the narrator detailing why her family was forced to leave their country. Throughout the remainder of the book, she explains the different obstacles she has to overcome as a 2nd grader who did not speak English, didn't understand the cultural norms at her new school and struggled to make friends. In this uplifting story of immigration, students will get a glimpse into what it is like for an immigrant child.

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The Notebook Keeper: A Story of Kindness from the Border by Stephen Briseno & Magdalena Mora 

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The Notebook Keeper: A Story of Kindness from the Border by Stephen Briseno & Magdalena Mora 

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This inspiring story explains perhaps the biggest obstacles that immigrants have to overcome, the uncertainty of what lies ahead. Belinda, the notebook keeper, serves as an beacon of hope to so many waiting to cross the border into America. Providing support, hope and encouragement, this story explains the hardships of waiting to finish the immigration process.

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The Notebook Keeper: A Story of Kindness from the Border

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The Notebook Keeper: A Story of Kindness from the Border [Briseño, Stephen, Mora, Magdalena] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Notebook Keeper: A Story of Kindness from the Border

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Coming to America: The Story of Immigration by Betsy Maestro

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Coming to America: The Story of Immigration by Betsy Maestro

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This nonfictional picturebook provides readers with an opportunity to chronicle the history of immigration. Beginning with the Nomads and Native Americans, through the Europeans, this book details the different obstacles each wave of immigration experienced. With a plethora of obstacles represented in this book, readers will have an opportunity to explore multiple examples to reinforce their learning.

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The long, hard road of moving to a new place is beautifully depicted in this book through the eyes of a young boy. This story, unlike the others in this subtopic, focuses on Marwan's immigration journey. Detailing the obstacles he faces during his walk to a new country, Marwan explains the troubles that many immigrants face.

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Using real photographs from various countries, this book frames immigration in an accurate light. This book provides an overview of various ways people travel during immigration, explains the uncertainty of finding a home. Lastly, this book enlists the reader's help to provide hope and a warm welcome to any immigrants they may encounter. The ending makes this book a wonderful opportunity for class discussion and analysis of immigration.

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Life in America: Comparing Immigrant Experiences by Brynn Baker

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Life in America: Comparing Immigrant Experiences by Brynn Baker

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The piece of non-fictional writing showcases some of the misconceptions about immigration to America. With a chapter designated to each cultural group, this book explains each culture immigrated and where in the U.S. they moved to. Including popular immigrant groups like the Chinese, Russians and Polish, but also insight into smaller groups like the Swedish, Swiss and Norwegian, this book provides a full scope for readers. Using this book, students would compare and contrast the experiences of each cultural group using a critical lens.

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Where Butterflies Fill the Sky by Zahra Marwan

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Where Butterflies Fill the Sky by Zahra Marwan

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This book provides an illustrated story of Zahra leaving her country with her family to find a new, safer place to live. She details the differences of her new home and the uncomfortableness of it. Ending on a hopeful note, Zahra is one example of how immigration impacts people and communities.

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Paper Son: Lee's Journey to America by Helen James and Virginia Loh

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Paper Son: Lee's Journey to America by Helen James and Virginia Loh

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In this historical fiction picturebook, the reader follows the story of Lee on his way to America from China. Being an orphan, he is considered a "paper son" who must work extra hard to gain access to San Francisco. With this behind the scenes look into immigration, readers learn more about the process and trials of immigrants during the early years of immigration.

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Immigration, Refugees and the Fight for a Better Life by Elliott Smith

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Immigration, Refugees and the Fight for a Better Life by Elliott Smith

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This nonfiction book by Elliott Smith provides a comprehensive overview of the history of immigration in the United States. Addressing this difficult topic, the author does a wonderful job of detailing the who, what, where, when and why of this topic. As an introductory book, students would be able to use background knowledge to connect to new information presented in this source.

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Warren Binford writes this bilingual book explaining the stories of 61 children detained at the southern border of America. From the childrens' perspectives, they portray the multicultural effect that immigration has on Central/South America. This book shows the uglier side of immigration by discussing the harsh treatment and negatives of detainment camp conditions, with the uncertainty of the future for these children.

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This video interviews children and provides their perspective on immigration. Inspiring classroom discussion, this video could be used to deepen students' understanding of the breadth of immigration and complexity of the topic.

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From a unique perspective, this book tells the story of Yossel leaving Russia to move to America. Learning to make new friends in a new place is the hardest thing for Yossel, with flashbacks of home taunting him. Explaining why he had to leave his home and the course ahead of him, Yossel serves as an inspiration to those around him.

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Without the use of words, this book provides students with the opportunity to understand immigration in their own way. Utilizing visual cues and analyzing the author's choices in this picturebook, students will be able to understand one reason why people might immigrate. Unlike the other books in this subtopic, this story explains immigration with a different twist.

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Exploring Immigration: Discovering the Rich Heritage of America's Immigrants by Jim Ollhoff

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Exploring Immigration: Discovering the Rich Heritage of America's Immigrants by Jim Ollhoff

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As an anchor text under this subtopic, this book provides readers with a brief reminder of what immigration is before detailing several waves of immigration to the US. Comprised of multiple chapters, the author explains why each cultural group immigrated to America. This book will serve as a connection for students in the classroom to determine the reason why their heritage may have immigrated here.

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After just moving from Egypt, Kanzi gets ridiculed at her new school for her unique language, her mother's dress and her school lunch. All she wants to do is stay home and cry in the comfort of her Arabic quilt. Little does she know that this quilt will help her make friends and inspire everyone in her new school.

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Our World is a Family by Mary Whitehill and Jennifer Jackson

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Our World is a Family by Mary Whitehill and Jennifer Jackson

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Geared towards this age group, students will immediately connect to the concept of welcoming new neighbors to their community. This book offers multiple ways for students to make a new kid feel welcome inside and outside of school. With helpful, practical suggestions, this book can serve as a model of how children can support immigrants.

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This animated video shows some of the reasons why people are forced to leave their home countries. Guiding viewers through a timeline of forced migration, students will be able to understand more of what the process of migrating is like. It addresses some misconceptions about migration and shows a religious stance for supporting immigrants. With powerful graphics, students will be able to support their understanding of this subtopic by watching this video.

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My Words Flew Away Like Birds by Debora Pearson and Shrija Jain

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My Words Flew Away Like Birds by Debora Pearson and Shrija Jain

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After relocating with her family, a young girl has to navigate the school playground. Unsure of how to make friends since she doesn't speak their language, she learns how to read body language and makes a friend. With one simple action, she gains a best friend and opens up in her new home.

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This TEDtalk tells the story of Aya Gat's dual life of being an immigrant. From her own perspective she discusses some of the obstacles she faced when moving to Argentina. This video sets students up well for thinking about the next subtopic of how to help immigrants. Since she is close in age to these students, this video will be even more impactful and allow students to make deeper connections to the content.

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My Migration Story | Aya Gat | TEDxYouth@AEL

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This video provides an overview of the Vice President's most recent trip to Guatemala to address the root causes for people leaving there. Recently there has been a mass migration of Guatemalan people to the US. Watch this video to understand why they have been leaving and to learn what the US is planning to do to help.

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Addressing The Root Causes Of Immigration

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This video shows the masses of people who came out to support allowing refugees into Spain. Through interviews and video footage, viewers see the widespread support of encouraging the government to grant access to refugees. This is just one way that students can be inspired to support immigrants.

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Video #2- Multicultural Immigration Stories

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Video #2- Multicultural Immigration Stories

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This video showcases several various personal student immigration stories. Hearing from other students, these stories inspire and highlight the challenges that other kids their age experienced. This narrative will help to evoke emotional responses from students, and provide a window into refugees worlds.

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Supportive Text #1- Top Reasons to Immigrate to America

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Supportive Text #1- Top Reasons to Immigrate to America

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This article provides readers with an explanation of why people immigrate to America. Most students know about the concept of the "American Dream", but this article takes it a step further. Explaining the reasons deeper, students will be able to understand why so many people a year move to the U.S.

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There are four ways to become a U.S. citizen: it can be done via your parents, marriage, naturalization, or the military.

Now, people want to immigrate to America for many reasons, and in 2019, immigrants already made up 13.7% of the total population of the U.S, with over 44.9 million immigrants living in the States at the time. The number of people who immigrate to the U.S. grows every year - therefore, the percentage will also fluctuate a lot. But what are the main reasons for immigration to America? Let's find out!

Common Reasons for Immigration to the U.S.

Many individuals decide to make a huge life change and immigrate to the U.S. Reunification is one of the main reasons why so many people started immigrating to America, and this happened once the laws got amended back in 1968.

Better Work Opportunities

Obviously, a better job is why a lot of people decide to leave their countries and move to the U.S. Sometimes, the job opportunities in the U.S. are better compared to what the immigrant has at home. People either try to find a job in the States or they've been offered one.

Very often, immigrants will move to areas with higher wages and a higher number of available jobs. This not only helps immigrants build a better life for themselves or be able to send money home to their families but also helps the U.S. labor market.

Better Living Conditions

When foreigners think about the United States, they see it as this paradise that offers an ideal life. Although things are not perfect in the States, immigrants seek out a higher living standard here. People can get better opportunities when it comes to their job and education. Therefore, they can successfully contribute to society.

Even better, health care may look better in the U.S. than it does in an immigrant's country - and many people need a place where they can enjoy high-quality care. Access to certain necessities that are unavailable in other parts of the world is another reason why some people decide to immigrate.

Better Education

The United States has numerous universities - thus, there are many educational opportunities for those who want to continue their studies. Many parents who want their children to have a better education consider the U.S. for this reason.

Not only does this give students a lot of opportunities to find something they like, but it will also help them build a great future. Some students choose to immigrate to America so they can enroll in programs that their countries may not have.

Because more and more students consider the U.S. for their education, 28% of visas were given for school purposes in 2015.

Safety from Persecution and Violence

For many individuals, the U.S. seems like one of the safest places to live, no matter the race, ethnicity, or religious beliefs.

In times of religious, racial, and ethnic persecution, non-US citizens think that the States are safer for them. Many people who immigrate to the U.S. do it to seek asylum from war and violence.

If someone meets the definition of a refugee and is a U.S. government humanitarian concern, they may be able to obtain the status of refugee and stay in America.

Reunification with Family in the U.S.

Reunification is one of the biggest reasons for people immigrating to the U.S. People can be reunited with a family member who lives in the U.S. - this became a possibility after the laws were amended in 1968. A U.S. permanent resident or a citizen was able to sponsor a spouse, parent, or child if they wanted to come to the U.S.

The original member of the family may be living in the U.S. as a refugee, for work, or many other reasons. However, while Donald Trump was still president, he tried to cut family-based immigration in order to reform the policy. This led to many limitations for foreign family movement.

Marriage

In today's world, people can find their other half even on the opposite side of the world. The Internet gives them more opportunities to find people to date, and perhaps even marry. It's very common for someone in another country to fall in love with a person from the U.S. As a result, the American citizen will take their significant other to the U.S. for a better life, but also so they don't have to deal with long-distance dating anymore.

The U.S. has a K-1 visa, which allows your fiancé to come to the country. Then, you have to get married within 90 days and if you do so, the immigrant can apply for permanent residency, which will bring your spouse to the U.S. It's a common belief that some immigrants seek a relationship with a U.S. citizen only for the green card, but this is not always the case.

On top of that, if someone is marrying purely for a green card, they may get a $250,000 fine and spend up to 5 years in prison.

Impact of Immigration to the U.S.

With more and more immigrants coming to the U.S. every year, the country is impacted in many ways. It's actually hard to keep up with the factors involved, but here are some effects that immigration has on the U.S.:

Better Economic Output Growth

The labor force increases a lot due to net immigration, and so does the economy's productive capacity. As a result, living standards increase, while the dependency ratio decreases.

More immigration means more growth for the economy. This means higher tax revenues and more options for national spending.

Better Workforce

Getting a skilled professional in the workforce is always a plus, and this is something that immigration can help with. The U.S. attracts a lot of people who are looking for jobs - therefore, high numbers of skilled immigrants are starting to fill job vacancies. This leads to higher tax revenues as well.

Flexible Labor Markets

Immigrants tend to go to high-wage economies, which then leads to a labor demand boost. The high mobility of the immigrants allows labor to meet the growing demand by keeping the economy from heating up too much.

Undesirable Jobs Filled

Certain positions offer very low earnings, so U.S. citizens stay away from them. As such, employers have a very hard time finding someone to take these jobs. But immigration saves the day, as flexible labor can fill these positions too. Native-born individuals can then look for higher-skilled jobs as immigrants fill the low-skilled ones.

Read More

Final Thoughts

How much it costs to become a U.S. citizen doesn't matter much to those who want to live the American dream. Many individuals decide to go to the U.S. either to marry the love of their life who happens to be a U.S. citizen, to find a better job, or to get a better education. If you analyzed the pros and cons of immigrating to the U.S. and you're sure about this step, you should initiate the immigration process as soon as possible.

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THESE are the main reasons to immigrate to America [2022]

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There are four ways to become a U.S. citizen: it can be done via your parents, marriage, naturalization, or the military. Now, people want to immigrate to America for many reasons, and in 2019, immigrants already made up 13.7% of the total population of the U.S, with over 44.9 million immigrants living in the States at the time.

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In this video, a high school student explains how she wanted to help make non-native English speakers more welcome in her school. She decided to create a group called Global Minds, where her peers and she get together to discuss multicultural topics. This video can serve as inspiration for students through this unit to welcome immigrant students.

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How One High School Is Welcoming Refugee Students | TODAY

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Supportive Text #1- Biggest Challenges Facing Immigrants

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Supportive Text #1- Biggest Challenges Facing Immigrants

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Some of the 8 biggest challenges facing immigrants were represented in the books for this subtopic. To extend students' learning, they would use this list to compare against the literature we read. Understanding the multiple obstacles will help students brainstorm during the final subtopic of how they can take action.

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Hundreds of thousands of people around the world leave their homelands and travel to other countries. Many are fleeing places of war, hunger, famine, and persecution. However, refugees and immigrants, especially, are faced with many barriers once they arrive in a new country.

Here are the most significant issues facing migrants today - and what you can do to tackle them.
1. Language Barriers
The language barrier is the main challenge as it affects the ability to communicate with others. That is because it is assumed that immigrants will learn English or French, depending on their preferences. This may negatively impact the quality of informed decision-making and the care experience for immigrants.

Language barriers can also amplify the effects of other sources of disadvantage. In some countries, immigrants get substandard health care because they cannot speak the native language well. Moreover, the differences between the languages of the first generation and second-generation migrants can harm immigrants.
2. Lack of Employment Opportunities
Immigrants are among those people who are most likely to face discrimination on the job. That is because there are many problems rooted in how assignments are designed and managed. Moreover, many immigrant workers are excluded from labor and safety protections that are enjoyed by native-born workers.

Newly arrived immigrants are usually disenfranchised in terms of their knowledge of the job market. At the same time, immigrant professionals face difficulties in obtaining recognition for foreign academic credentials. Therefore, better policies are required to help minimize the hurdles that refugees face in the employment process.
3. Housing
Immigrants are probably the most vulnerable group when it comes to housing. That's because they face severe challenges finding safe, decent, and affordable housing. However, housing problems for immigrants are more than just the homeownership rate. Many of these recently settled immigrants are jobless and can't afford to pay rent. Moreover, there's a higher housing cost burden for illegal immigrants compared with their legal immigrant counterparts. These housing problems require national and local responses.

Those who manage to get better housing should use a better security solution, such as IdentityForce Theft Protection, to secure their data from prying eyes.
4. Access to Medical Services
People should have access to health care services regardless of their nationality. However, immigrants have low rates of medical insurance coverage and poor access to health care services. Besides, policy changes have limited immigrants' access to insurance and health care. These barriers range from financial limitations to discrimination and fear of deportation. This has contributed to growing concerns about immigrant's ability to participate in many free healthcare programs.

In many countries, undocumented immigrants aren't eligible to buy health insurance coverage. At the same time, research shows that immigrant families often forgo needed health care because they fear discrimination. Also, many immigrants are not eligible for subsidized participation in national health insurance programs.
5. Transportation Issues
The ability to drive a car can be essential to getting many everyday tasks done. However, immigrants have limited options when it comes to accessing reliable transport. One of the most significant difficulties immigrants face is the age-related unreliability of their vehicles. Therefore, getting to work and limited transportation are all genuine issues for immigrants.

Immigrants have problems with their travel primarily because they face auto-related issues, including their vehicles' age. Private transportation is also a problem since most immigrants can't obtain a driver's license.
6. Cultural Differences
The general understanding of immigrants is based upon falsehoods, misunderstandings, and myths. These false ideas cause large and unfair disparities in many aspects of their life.

Even well-settled migrants face ongoing cultural and communication barriers. This can range from social customs to more significant issues such as religion. For instance, children may feel ashamed that they don't know the most famous music.

Fear and distrust of immigrants have fueled the creation and success of cultural myths in many countries. Even deeds done with a good intention can come off as culturally insensitive. Therefore, people should keep an open mind and desist from perceiving anything that is different to be "wrong."
7. Raising Children
Growing up as the child of parents who immigrated to another country is not easy. The socioeconomic and psychosocial concerns that children of immigrants often face in a new country can be challenging. Depression, anxiety, and panic disorder are common among immigrants' children.

The pressure that children of immigrants face is high, and mental health support is low. Unlike adults, children are still in the process of creating their identities. Therefore, being caught between two cultures can create numerous internal conflicts.

Research has shown that children of immigrants are more likely to struggle in school. Other forms of discrimination they may face include discrimination, isolation, and financial stresses.
8. Prejudice
Many immigrants experience discrimination. In fact, there's been a mammoth sweep of increased anti-immigration prejudice. These prejudices are exacerbated by how much news and information you consume. In particular, anti-immigrant attitudes sustain restrictive policies.

The prejudice tends to be either against all minority ethnic and religious groups. For instance, more non-EU migrants feel they face discrimination in the UK than those from Europe.

Many governments are stepping up efforts aimed at reducing discrimination and enhancing integration. That's why we see more anti-racism and prejudice reduction campaigns on TV.

Final Thoughts
One billion people, one-seventh of the world's population, are migrants. Despite these barriers, immigrants will continue to play an essential role in our communities and our economy.

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The 8 Biggest Challenges Facing Immigrants

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Hundreds of thousands of people around the world leave their homelands and travel to other countries. Many are fleeing places of war, hunger, famine, and persecution. However, refugees and immigrants, especially, are faced with many barriers once they arrive in a new country. Here are the most s ...

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Supportive Text #2- Why do People Immigrate?

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Supportive Text #2- Why do People Immigrate?

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As a higher level text, this article uses vocabulary like push and pull factors, to convey more of the economic motivation for people to immigrate. This article does a wonderful job of providing a comprehensive overview of potential reasons why people immigrate, the positive effects of immigration and a brief discussion of recent statistics.

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Immigration - and its dynamic effect on global development - has been the subject of many reports, studies, and debates. Its economic implications have shaped global industries for years and are changing the world for the better.

Global migration is a large-scale topic. Currently, there are an estimated 272 million international migrants, which account for 3.5% of the world's population. While the percentage may seem relatively low, the number of migrants already surpasses some projections for 2050.

In a 2020 report by United Nations (UN), it was revealed that one in every 30 people is an international migrant. Europe and Asia alone host around 82 to 84 million immigrants. These regions were followed by North America, which houses almost 52 million international migrants.

Every year, the percentage of international citizens traversing borders increases and drastically impacts a country's population size, cultural diversity, and economic productivity.

With the constant wave of settlers and refugees around the world today, a significant question arises - what exactly are the causes of immigration?

The Roots of Immigration

Immigration, in its simplest definition, is the movement of people from one place or country into another one. It is a simple yet fundamental aspect of human history.

Immigration is a concept that pre-dates existing laws. Long ago, nomadic tribes traveled from place to place to find fresh and fertile lands, pastures for their livestock, and rich areas for hunting and fishing.

In modern times, immigration still continues all over the world. In the past decade, the demographic composition of people traversing borders has significantly changed. This can be attributed to a wide range of factors that we can categorize into two groups - push and pull factors.

It is essential to examine these factors in order to perfectly understand the increase of global migration throughout the years.

Push and Pull Factors

To reach well-developed immigration and foreign policy solutions, it is important to recognize the driving factors that prompt individuals to migrate.

People around the globe immigrate for a wide array of reasons that we conceptualize as "push" and "pull" factors.

Push factors are reasons that compel or push people to leave the area of where they reside and settle someplace else. Common factors can include armed conflict, disaster exposure, gender inequality, lack of job opportunities, political corruption, and lack of access to competent healthcare and education. In simple terms, push factors are negative reasons that prompt individuals to leave.

Pull factors are, on the other hand, the exact opposite of push factors. They attract or pull people to move and settle in a particular area. Common pull factors may include better work opportunities, greater security, and access to adequate healthcare and education. Simply put, pull factors are positive reasons that prompt individuals to move.

Immigration, however, is not as simple as being pulled and pushed for merely a few reasons. The push and pull framework is a combination of factors that encourage a person to leave a place of origin and factors that draw a person to a destination.

Push and pull factors are never the same for everyone, and the reasons for immigration are unique to each individual.

However, even though factors can change depending on age, gender, health, social class, and ethnicity, a push or pull factor may describe a pattern that can be attributed to many different reasons.

Quality of Life Factors

Conditions that influence an individual's quality of life vary from person to person, but may be the leading factors leading to immigration. These can include labor standards, poverty, and the overall state of a country to provide a quality life.

In most cases, people are pulled by work opportunities in a certain area which aren't available in their place of origin. Data analysis has even shown that there is an increase in the immigrant's quality of life due to migration that is reflected in financial status and job satisfaction.

People from places like Syria (which has a high unemployment rate of 50%) often immigrate to escape poverty and lack of work opportunities. Numerous developed countries, including the United States, provide a network or social platform that proves to be advantageous for people hailing from less developed countries.

Immigrant workers (people who migrate to pursue work) represent nearly two-thirds of the international migrants in 2017 - standing at roughly 164 million worldwide.

Another large factor involving an individual's quality of life is access to a proper education and to medical services that are otherwise inaccessible in their country.

War-Torn Country Factors

A major socio-political factor pushing individuals to leave their place of origin is the presence of war and conflict.

Oppression because of one's ethnicity, religion, gender, race, and culture poses a significant risk to quality of life, which increases the odds of an individual settling elsewhere.

People fleeing conflict zones, human rights violations, and government persecution are asylum seekers that desire international protection and a safer region. Individuals who are forcibly displaced because of external factors, such as war, are refugees.

In recent times, a large number of people have fled to Europe to escape conflict, persecution, and terror in their homeland. Over a quarter of asylum seekers from Syria were granted protection status, with those from Afghanistan and Iraq following respectively.

Environmental Factors

Natural disasters and climate change are environmental factors that disproportionately affect impoverished families, especially in less developed countries.

Individuals that experience regular occurrences of floods, hurricanes, and earthquakes are most likely to immigrate. Additionally, climate change is expected to worsen weather events, leading to an increase in immigration flow.

Environmental immigrants are obliged to leave their point of origin, be it temporarily or permanently, and either move within their country or abroad to avoid the adversities of nature.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme 's statement on climate change and immigration, these are the three environmental factors that can affect immigration in a significant way:

1. Effects of Warming: Constant warming in certain areas will slowly bring down agricultural productivity which may lead to a lack of fertile soil and clean water.

2. Increase in Extreme Weather Events: Extreme weather events caused by the change in climate, such as violent storms and resulting flash floods, may displace millions of people.

3. Rising of Sea Level: The constant sea level rise poses an extreme environmental danger to low-lying coastal areas and may result in the permanent displacement of more than a million individuals.

Why Do People Immigrate to the US?

According to the UN's World Migration Report of 2020, the United States of America has been the primary destination for foreign migrants since 1970.

In less than 50 years, the number of foreign-born residents of the country has more than quadrupled - from less than 12 million to close to 51 million.

The reasons why so many people immigrate to the US have changed throughout the years, but the country's core pull factors are what make it the leading destination for immigration.

The United States ranks as one of the most desirable countries to immigrate to because of the better living conditions provided.

The country has an active economy with a wide array of work opportunities for everyone. Wages are higher than most countries, with a relatively low cost of living. Individuals coming from a more collective society prefer American individualistic values.

People that are employed in the United States who have long-distance families are great examples of what compels families to immigrate. When these people gain their green cards, they want their children to move from their native country to the United States to be with them.

Moreover, the United States has access to healthcare and quality education that is not available in many countries.

The Impacts of Immigration

As the number of immigrants increases by the year, the patterns and factors involved become harder to analyze and evaluate. With the dynamic change and demands that immigration brings, it is important to take note of its impacts.

So what exactly are the causes and effects of immigration?

Economic Output Growth: Net immigration can lead to an increase in the labor force and productive capacity of the economy. When this happens, there is an increase in living standards with a decline in the dependency ratio. Immigration leads to stronger economic growth and, as a result, higher tax revenues, allowing for more national spending options.

Better Workforce: Because of immigration, the economy of certain countries, like the UK, attracts highly skilled professionals that fill job vacancies, which contributes even more to higher tax revenues. This is due to the fact that immigrants are more likely to have higher educational and skill levels.

A Flexible Labor Market: Immigrants move to economies when the wages are high, which increases labor demands. The immigrants' high mobility keeps a booming economy from overheating by providing labor to meet expanding demand.

Filling In for Undesirable Job Opportunities: Due to low earnings or the lack of prestige associated with some positions, native-born individuals have a tough time filling them. Businesses and employers who rely on flexible labor to fill job vacancies profit from immigration. Furthermore, when low-skilled positions are filled by migrants, native-born people can seek higher-skilled work elsewhere.

A growing scarcity of workers is widely acknowledged as one of the world's most critically significant barriers to sustained economic growth amidst increasingly tight labor markets.

Immigration, without fail, is the reason behind the development and prosperity of most businesses and fills the increasing shortage of workers in labor markets.

There are numerous drivers behind an individual's immigration, and such a complex process needs good research, political will, and most importantly, collective action from the citizens.

Immigrants are breathing new life into rural and urban communities, shaping labor markets, and building a dynamic society - all of which begins with a simple "push" and "pull".

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Why do People Immigrate? - The Different Causes of Immigration | LIRS

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Immigration has been the subject of many reports, studies, and debates. Its economic implications have shaped global industries for years and are changing the world for the better.

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This article showcases on high school classroom's idea to provide support to current Ukrainian refugees. Collecting various items from personal hygiene products to dog treats, shows the reader than no object is too small or unwanted.

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Space was rapidly running out Friday at the front of Vicky Solomon's classroom at Vineland High School. Piles of donations of everything from personal hygiene products to dog snacks were competing for a spot on the floor.

Solomon's Search for Consciences social studies class launched a donation drive earlier this month to provide Ukrainian refugees with care packages as they leave their war-ravaged country in the wake of a Russian military invasion.

"We want them to know the world is paying attention," Savannah Yator, a senior in the class said. "And we're going to do everything we can to help you. At the end of this, I just want them to remember that we did care."

Three of her classmates, Leila Sanchez-Lugo, Alondra Pala-Moran and Itzel Herrera, all nodded.

"We hope to help them, give them hope that they are not alone - that we are with them, that us kids, we're standing with them until it's over," said Herrera, another senior in the class. "A lot of times the world can take too long to respond. And we just want them to know we're paying attention. We're not just going to let it go unnoticed."

Solomon and her students put out a community call for hygiene, baby care, medical supplies and other goods, like socks, flashlights, batteries and clothing. The class hopes to include the donations with relief efforts from the local Slavic Evangelistic Baptist Church, Soloman said.

"I was just the catalyst," Soloman said. "They took the idea and ran with it. They have to be active citizens in the world. One person can make a difference."

About 50 students across three class periods take Soloman's elective social studies class in the K-12 district of 10,800 students in Cumberland County. Her students are required to be aware of current events, engage in discussion about them and sometimes, take action.

"It's terrible, it's heartbreaking, it's literally devastating," Yator said. "There are people losing their lives for something they literally have no clue why it is happening."

Most of the students said they keep up with current affairs on social media, on apps like TikTok, Instagram and Facebook. They said their newfound awareness sometimes comes as a surprise.

"Most adults are shocked when they see teens actually doing something," Herrera said. "They think it's unusual."

The classmates said they are trying to get the word out in every way they can, including having the message translated in Spanish on district webpages and social media. Pala-Moran even pondered making her own TikTok post.

"I think it's a good idea if we just give a little help," she said. "It's not a lot, but it all counts."

The drive goes until April 11 and donations can be dropped off at the district office on Landis Avenue.

Please subscribe now and support the local journalism you rely on and trust.
Bill Duhart may be reached at bduhart@njadvancemedia.com.

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Ukrainian refugee relief drive in N.J. classroom promotes goodwill, student engagement

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Space was rapidly running out Friday at the front of Vicky Solomon's classroom at Vineland High School. Piles of donations of everything from personal hygiene products to dog snacks were competing for a spot on the floor.

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Supportive Text #2- Obstacles During the Pandemic

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Supportive Text #2- Obstacles During the Pandemic

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With immigrants currently going through more obstacles during the pandemic, this article offers a unique perspective into their lives. Explaining how the process to become a citizen is even harder right now, this article can support students' background knowledge in the present context of immigration.

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1. Story telling: Have students write their own story (fiction or nonfiction) including a reason why their character would have left their home country
2. Infographic creation: Students will pick a country that people are immigrating from and investigate statistics surrounding the cause of immigration from that country.
3. Visual graphic t-chart of positive and negative causes for immigration: Students will use the internet to collect pictures and place them on a Jamboard t-chart showing the positive and negative reasons people may immigrate

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Supportive Text #2- World Refugee Day Support

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Supportive Text #2- World Refugee Day Support

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This website details fun and creative ways that students could support refugees on World Refugee Day, June 20th. Being towards the end of the school year, this could inspire students to work together in their communities or connect with some of the organizations listed. Participating in a fun contest to help raise awareness would intrigue students at this age.

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Want to change the world this summer? Here's a great way to get started.

World Refugee Day, held each year on 20 June, celebrates the strength and courage of the more than 80 million people - half of them children - who have been forced to flee their homes due to war and persecution.

Refugees often struggle to find shelter, let alone doctors to care for them, schools or even a place to run around and play. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, works with refugees every day to help them build better futures.

This World Refugee Day, we call for greater inclusion of refugees in health, education and sports. But we need everyone's help to achieve this, including yours. Students are in a great position to help refugees feel welcome.

Here are 5 ways for you to help refugees:

An employee of Alive & Kicking, the world's only non-profit manufacturer of soccer balls, in Kenya. © Alive & Kicking

The Youth with Refugees Art contest is your chance to use your creativity for a good cause. This year, the theme is "together through sport." Its purpose is to bring attention to the power of sports to bring people together and give people hope and confidence.

Send us an illustration or design of your #dreamball. The best designs will be made into real soccer balls by an ethical manufacturing company and sold online to support sporting activities for refugees! The deadline is 25 June.

Did you know that only three per cent of refugees go on to higher education, compared with 37 per cent of the global population?

You can help refugees go further by raising funds for the Aiming Higher Campaign.

Whether you're in school, university or part of a youth group, you can donate or mobilize action to help three refugees for a whole year of study. If you want to organize a fundraising event, this site has 75 great ideas for you!

Model UNs are student-led simulations of the United Nations in which students step into the shoes of diplomats to solve real problems.

UNHCR launched the 2021 MUN Refugee Challenge to encourage students to find solutions for refugees during their Model UN. This year, some 15,000 "delegates" in 60 countries have already joined.

Join us! You will get the chance to research and debate issues such as the use of technology to help refugees and how to protect the rights of refugee women.

At the end of the year, your best ideas will win awards and be shared with policymakers. Here are 8 winning ideas from last year.

Are you active on social media? Talking about the real issues refugees face with your followers online can help raise awareness. This World Refugee Day you can post custom made messages of solidarity.

Create and share your own visuals using this Canva template. You can also send tweets with the hashtag #worldrefugeeday to activate our special emoji or join the #homemeans TikTok challenge launched by UNHCR!

Do you like to bring people together?

You can organize a World Refugee Day event in your school, village or city - hold a film screening, invite a refugee to speak in your school or at your summer camp or arrange a panel discussion.

If you want to do something fun, hold a sports tournament or a day filled with activities and games. Here are some event ideas to get you started.

***

There are so many things young people can do to help refugees on World Refugee Day and beyond. Whether you prefer to volunteer, advocate, create content or fundraise, remember that you can make a big difference.

Would you like to learn more about how you can support refugees and join our network of youth champions?

Feel free to contact us at hqmunrefugee@unhcr.or to ask questions, request material for your fundraisers and events, or just tell us about your plans for World Refugee Day and get a chance to be featured on our social media channels!
Written by UNHCR Communications Associate and UNHCR Communications Officer Pauline Eluère.

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5 ways students can help refugees on World Refugee Day or any day

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Want to change the world this summer? Here's a great way to get started. World Refugee Day, held each year on 20 June, celebrates the strength and courage of the more than 80 million people - half of them children - who have been forced to flee their homes due to war and persecution.

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1. Sketch as you read: While reading the mentor texts for this subtopic, students will draw during the read alouds in their journals. Students will share their drawings and write an explanation for their drawings after each book.
2. Podcast creation: Students will work in groups to write a short script for a podcast to explain obstacles that immigrant children may face. They will then utilize podcast equipment to record their less than 3 minute podcasts.
3. Using Google Docs, create a list of obstacles that students might face when they immigrate and come to a new place: After analyzing what is unique about our classroom or culture, students will create this list to inform.

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1. Classroom Tour Video Creation- to help students who may have culture shock adjust to our classroom
2. Design an informational presentation for administrators about ways the school can help with the purpose of convincing administration to agree on a refugee items drive or backpack welcome program for new students
3. Use The Arabic Quilt idea in your own classroom: Students will look up their name in another language, design a square for their names and collectively place them together outside the classroom on a posterboard.

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This parody explains immigration to students in a catchy way by using a popular song in today's culture. Students will learn the definition of immigration and some reasons why people immigrate. Positively framing immigration, this infectious song will make students engaged in the subtopics to follow.

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Immigration Song  - Justin Bieber "Sorry" Parody - Ben Leddy

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This website provides students with examples of what the refugee experience is like from the perspective of real people. Providing some background to each story, students are allowed into the world of several cultural diverse examples. This resource would prompt discussions in response to all the inquiry questions for this subtopic.

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Read our collection of six refugee poems to get a unique insight into the life of refugees and asylum seekers.

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One of the many ways we encourage survivors of torture to heal is through creativity.

Past trauma can make it difficult to communicate how one feels, but poetry is a fantastic bridge for recovery and understanding.

We have collected six poems which reflect a variety of personal experiences depicting what it's like to be a refugee.

We have displayed four poems from our group Write to Life and two poems from external authors.

What is Write to Life?

Write to Life is a creative writing and performance group that supports our current and former clients to tell stories through art forms.

It is the longest-running refugee-writing group in Britain, and the only one specifically for survivors of torture.

The most amazing thing about writing is that, with only a pen and paper, you can open up a boundless universe of the imagination; a place to nurture yourself with joy, jokes, beauty or just your own listening ear. For people like the writers in our group, often penniless, unable to work and in a dreadful prison of isolation and paralysis while they await the outcome of their asylum claim, this is a lifeline.

Sheila Hayman, Write to Life Coordinator

Write to Life members have collaborated with world-class institutions like The Roundhouse, Tate Galleries and the British and Victoria and Albert Museums. Over the years, they have built up an impressive body of work.

Here's a selection.

Write to Life poems

My Lone Soldier

Introduction

I wrote this because my husband was a soldier. We met at university and this poem is about when he was killed. When I joined Freedom from Torture, I didn't want to open up about these bad experiences because of the torture I went through - my three children, husband, Dad and twin sister were all killed- but when I wrote this poem I felt more at peace. I have been a member of Write to Life since 2001. It has changed a lot but we are always there like a family. When it is Wednesday, we look forward to a good time and good food. The group has grown since I have been involved - I say the bigger the better!

My Lone Soldier by Jade

This Matter by Haymanot

("This matter occupied the time of the Court from 10.20 a.m. to 10.28 a.m.")

For those who want to be heard by others, poetry has a particular power. Its emotional force is concentrated into a few essential words, and the rocket fuel of longing, hope or anger can be sheathed with the seductive beauty of language and imagery. These two elements together may seduce readers who would run a mile from a rant or an op-ed, dissolving their defences into simple human empathy.

Sheila Hayman, Write to Life Coordinator

My Brain is an Immigrant

Introduction

It was very interesting to go to the Tate; you can learn many things from different kinds of pictures. In one of them, there was a woman with her children, so beautifully dressed, from the olden days, but inside her I could see she was empty.

But there were other pictures, of people who looked angry or sad, and then this picture of a brain; it reminded me of anxiety so I wrote about my own brain as an asylum seeker.

I felt like I went to my family when I went to Freedom from Torture; it gave me strength and comfort; I felt free and confident. Now I have moved on - the group gave me the power to see the future and be someone. To have a life, moving forward. Before, I felt lonely and sad; I didn't see a future. I could not have gone and achieved my future without your support and that of many people in the organisation who understood our pain and our problems. Even today, with my own family and no longer coming to Write to Life. I still feel helped.

My Brain is an Immigrant By Senait Hagose

Out of Love

Introduction

I am a survivor of torture from Turkey and I wrote the poem below with Write To Life, in 2006 in Devon. It was one of the most productive weeks of my life. There, I could observe and feel the first days of the coming spring on a farm, in the countryside; and I was with ten other members of the group there. My eyes were foggy and tearful watching the scenery; green grass, trembling cold flowers in unreachable corners outside, a rivulet nearby and the open horizon beyond. And our teachers, who opened our eyes to thinking about art; they helped us to write whatever we felt and thought, without hesitation.

Thanks to them indeed.

After working in the social housing sector for a couple of years, I completed a part time Housing Studies degree at London Southbank University in 2010. Having had two children since then, I am a full-time mother now.

Out of Love - Ozgur

Coordinating Write to Life is a huge privilege, and over the years I and my fellow mentors have learned how to design workshops that inspire and engage the group at a deep level but never force them to revisit experiences they have put behind them, or are not yet ready to revisit. It's a delicate balancing act, but always fascinating, and the results speak for themselves.

Sheila Hayman, Write to Life Coordinator

Home, by Warsan Shire (British-Somali poet)

imagine how it feels to be chased out of home. to have your grip ripped. loosened from your fingertips something you so dearly held on to. like a lovers hand that slips when pulled away you are always reaching.
my father would speak of home. reaching. speaking of familiar faces. girl next door
who would eventually grow up to be my mother. the fruit seller at the market. the lonely man at the top of the road who nobody spoke to. and our house at the bottom of the street
lit up by a single flickering lamp
where beyond was only darkness. there
they would sit and tell stories
of monsters that lurked and came only at night to catch the children who sat and listened to stories of monsters that lurked.
this is how they lived. each memory buried.
an artefact left to be discovered by archaeologists. the last words on a dying
family member's lips. this was sacred.
not even monsters could taint it.
but there were monsters that came during the day. monsters that tore families apart
with their giant hands. and fingers that slept on triggers. the sound of gunshots ripping through the sky became familiar like the tapping of rain fall on a window sill.
monster that would kill and hide behind speeches, suits and ties. monsters that would chase families away forcing them to leave everything behind.

i remember when we first stepped off the plane. everything was foreign. unfamiliar. uninviting. even the air in my lungs left me short of breath.
we came here to find refuge. they called us refugees so we hid ourselves in their language until we sounded just like them. changed the way we dressed to look just like them.
made this our home until we lived just like them and began to speak of familiar faces. girl next door who would grow up to be a

mother. the fruit seller at the market.
the lonely man at the top of the road
who nobody spoke to. and our house at the bottom of the street lit up by a single flickering lamp to keep away the darkness.

there we would sit and watch police that lurked and came only at night to arrest the youths who sat and watched police that lurked and came only at night. this is how we lived.

i remember one day i heard them say to me
they come here to take our jobs
they need to go back to where they came from
not knowing that i was one of the ones who came. i told them that a refugee is simply
someone who is trying to make a home.
so next time when you go home, tuck your children in and kiss your families goodnight be glad that the monsters
never came for you.
in their suits and ties.
never came for you.
in the newspapers with the media lies.
never came for you.
that you are not despised.

and know that deep inside the hearts of each and every one of us
we are all always reaching for a place that we can call home.

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Six Refugee Poems - a unique insight into the life of refugees and asylum seekers

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Read our collection of six refugee poems to get a unique insight into the life of refugees and asylum seekers.

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Supportive Text #2- Immigration Infographic

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Supportive Text #2- Immigration Infographic

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Using this infographic, students can discuss the various statistics presented as it directly relates to the United States. By incorporating this media, the students will be able to understand the scope of immigration further. While this will challenge this age group, students will be able to discuss their questions and the understand some of the benefits of immigration.

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1. Cultural x-ray: students complete their own cultural x-ray after discussing heritage and culture with their families and in class.
2. School Interviews: Find members around the school willing to discuss heritage and immigration, students will be provided with supportive interview questions and share their responses in small groups.
3. Map shading: Using technology, students will shade in where their family is originally from. Teachers will have another map for shading the areas of the US that the book "Life in America" stated were popular immigration spots. The two maps will then be compared and contrasted.