Immigration MythBusters by Clara Talley https://padlet.com/claramtalley1/immigrationmythbusters Adapted from Teaching Tolerance en-us 2020-11-30 00:28:39 UTC 2025-10-03 20:05:46 UTC hello@padlet.com claramtalley1 https://padlet.com/claramtalley1/immigrationmythbusters/wish/969580909 With so much attention given to the issue of undocumented immigrants, it’s easy to overlook the fact that most of the foreign-born living in the United States have followed the rules and have permission to be here. Of the more than 31 million foreign-born people living in the United States in 2009, about 20 million are either citizens or legal residents. Of those who do not have authorization to be here, about 45 percent entered the country legally and then let their papers expire.

]]> 2020-11-30 00:30:59 UTC https://padlet.com/claramtalley1/immigrationmythbusters/wish/969580909 claramtalley1 https://padlet.com/claramtalley1/immigrationmythbusters/wish/969582650 2020-11-30 00:32:01 UTC https://padlet.com/claramtalley1/immigrationmythbusters/wish/969582650 claramtalley1 https://padlet.com/claramtalley1/immigrationmythbusters/wish/969583447 Do you know the rules to enter the country legally and stay here to work? The simple answer is that there is no “line” for most very poor people with few skills to stand in and gain permanent U.S. residency. Generally, gaining permission to live and work in the United States is limited to people who are: 1) highly trained in a skill that is in short supply here; 2) escaping political persecution; or 3) joining close family already here.]]> 2020-11-30 00:32:28 UTC https://padlet.com/claramtalley1/immigrationmythbusters/wish/969583447 claramtalley1 https://padlet.com/claramtalley1/immigrationmythbusters/wish/969584222 2020-11-30 00:32:59 UTC https://padlet.com/claramtalley1/immigrationmythbusters/wish/969584222 claramtalley1 https://padlet.com/claramtalley1/immigrationmythbusters/wish/969584878 What does it mean to blend into American society? In 2010, about 500,000 immigrants became naturalized citizens. They had to overcome obstacles like getting here, finding a job, overcoming language barriers, paying naturalization fees, dealing with a bureaucracy and taking a written citizenship test. This is not the behavior of people who take becoming an American lightly.
The reality is that the typical pattern of assimilation in the United States has remained steady, says Reimers. “The first generation struggled with English and didn’t learn it. The second was bilingual. And the third can’t talk to their grandparents.” If anything, the speed of assimilation is faster today than at any time in our past, mainly because of public education and mass media.


]]> 2020-11-30 00:33:23 UTC https://padlet.com/claramtalley1/immigrationmythbusters/wish/969584878 claramtalley1 https://padlet.com/claramtalley1/immigrationmythbusters/wish/969586497 According to the Immigration Policy Center, a non-partisan group, research indicates there is little connection between immigrant labor and unemployment rates of native-born workers. Here in the United States, two trends—better education and an aging population—have resulted in a decrease in the number of Americans willing or available to take low-paying jobs. Between 2000 and 2005, the supply of low-skilled American workers slipped by 1.8 million.
To fill the void, employers often hire immigrant workers. One of the consequences, unfortunately, is that it is easier for unscrupulous employers to exploit this labor source and pay immigrants less, not provide benefits, and ignore worker-safety laws. On an economic level, Americans benefit from relatively low prices on food and other goods produced by undocumented immigrant labor.


]]> 2020-11-30 00:34:20 UTC https://padlet.com/claramtalley1/immigrationmythbusters/wish/969586497 claramtalley1 https://padlet.com/claramtalley1/immigrationmythbusters/wish/969587787 2020-11-30 00:35:01 UTC https://padlet.com/claramtalley1/immigrationmythbusters/wish/969587787 claramtalley1 https://padlet.com/claramtalley1/immigrationmythbusters/wish/969588517 Undocumented immigrants pay taxes every time they buy gas, clothes, or new appliances. They also contribute to property taxes—a main source of school funding—if they buy or rent a house, or rent an apartment. The Social Security Administration estimates that half to three-quarters of undocumented immigrants pay federal, state and local taxes, including $6 billion to $7 billion in Social Security taxes for benefits they will never get. They can receive emergency medical care and schooling, but not welfare or food stamps.]]> 2020-11-30 00:35:25 UTC https://padlet.com/claramtalley1/immigrationmythbusters/wish/969588517 claramtalley1 https://padlet.com/claramtalley1/immigrationmythbusters/wish/969589544 2020-11-30 00:36:00 UTC https://padlet.com/claramtalley1/immigrationmythbusters/wish/969589544 claramtalley1 https://padlet.com/claramtalley1/immigrationmythbusters/wish/969590442 Is someone who jaywalks or who doesn’t feed a parking meter a criminal? Only very serious misbehavior is generally considered “criminal” in our legal system. Violations of less serious laws are usually “civil” matters and are tried in civil courts. People accused of crimes are tried in criminal courts and can be imprisoned. Federal immigration law says that unlawful presence in the country is a civil offense and is, therefore, not a crime. The punishment is deportation.]]> 2020-11-30 00:36:33 UTC https://padlet.com/claramtalley1/immigrationmythbusters/wish/969590442 claramtalley1 https://padlet.com/claramtalley1/immigrationmythbusters/wish/969593349 2020-11-30 00:37:45 UTC https://padlet.com/claramtalley1/immigrationmythbusters/wish/969593349 READ BEFORE YOU BEGIN! claramtalley1 https://padlet.com/claramtalley1/immigrationmythbusters/wish/969603180 With your breakout group, "travel" to EACH of the following Immigration MythBusters Stations (COLUMNS). Read the information, and discuss in your small group. Consider what the information teaches you about immigration. It can be something that you learned in your head or your heart--or both. Then discuss: 
  • Where you think this myth comes from?
  • Who benefits from this myth?
Finally, add a POST at the bottom of each station (one person post for the team), with something that it taught you and your ideas about the root cause of the myth and who benefits. 


THEN, read the poem "Refugees" by Brian Bilston, and share your thoughts and feelings about it.
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