Explaining U.S. Immigration Policy

On December 4th, 2014, educators attended a program focused on child immigration from Central America and immigrant rights. First, Larkin VanDerhoef, NPH USA, gave an overview of immigrant rights and the challenges associated with children crossing the US-Mexico border unaccompanied. How can teachers be better informed to teach immigrant students in their classroom? What should your students know about immigration and immigrant rights? Next, educators joined the public program featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning author Sonia Nazario. In her bestseller, Enrique’s Journey, Sonia details a Honduran boy’s quest for his mother, eleven years after she was forced to leave her starving family to find work in the U.S. Sonia was then joined by Larkin VanDerhoef, Jorge Baron, Executive Director of Northwest Immigrant Rights Project and Marc McLeod, Director of Latin America Studies at Seattle University, for a panel discussion to address the legal and political debate surrounding the child immigration crisis. This packet contains articles, Common Core-aligned lesson plans, films, organizations, and and educator guide to Enrique’s Journey.

Compiled by: Charlotte Guard, Bridget Chan, and Amy Lutterloh