By Paul Horton

I am finishing up a course that I recently developed on Twentieth Century Latin American History in film that uses several films including “Roma,” “The Official Story,” “Missing,” “EL Norte,” and “Sin Nombre” as a way to create discussions about recent Latin American History. Students have learned to analyze these films in historical contexts, often by examining documents recently made public about American involvement (CIA and School of the Americas) in the “dirty wars.”

The course ends with a research project that examines Latin American immigration to the United States.

The assignment that the students are working on now follows:

A strong theme running through our course is immigration. In the twentieth century, especially in the post WWII period, Latin American cities have grown larger. As state and international policies and lower agricultural prices have made it difficult to subsist in rural areas, tens of millions have moved to the city. Because most of these migrants to urban areas possess few skills, they learn that employment that will support individuals or families is difficult to find, and that they are often forced to live in unsanitary conditions in favelas where they are exposed to high levels of violence, crime, and gangs. As a result, many choose to migrate or attempt to migrate to the United States. As you know, undocumented migration has become a central topic in American politics. 

Many of those who supported and support President Trump, maintain that border security and “building the wall” are the most important solutions to the problem of undocumented immigration to the United States. Supporters of former President Trump also tend to believe that undocumented immigrants contribute little to the American economy, bringing criminal behavior instead. 

Advocates of comprehensive immigration reform, on the other hand, tend to see immigration reform more broadly. These advocates tend to study historical, economic, and cultural components of “push” and “pull” factors that motivate immigrants. Reform advocates, for example, study the short and long-term impacts of American supported imperial strategies in Latin America as well as the more recent impact of CAFTA and NAFTA policies which have created economic growth in some sectors of Latin American economies, but which have completely subverted local subsistence farming, thus motivating a move to the city followed by attempts to migrate north.

Our course will examine the economic and political policies pursued by Latin American nations  (often in  support of American policies) that tend to create political and economic dislocation and predation. We will read about these policies and see their impacts in the political narratives within the medium of film.

The last unit of the course will examine the immigrant experience through the lens of two films: “El Norte” and “Sin Nombre.” In the case of “El Norte,” migration north is motivated by an American supported Guatemalan Special Forces Unit that murders villagers (ethnic Mayans) in coffee growing areas to prevent them from organizing labor unions. “Sin Nombre,” or “the beast,” is the train that Central Americans and Mexican citizens must ride through Mexico to get to the US border.

We will also read the story of a group of Latin Americans who will attempt to cross to the United States using “The Devil’s Highway” through the Arizona desert. Urrea’s Devil’s Highway

Is based on intensive research that humanizes the tragic experience of this group of immigrants.

Your assignment will be to propose a policy paper for comprehensive immigration reform that can be introduced to a House or Senate Committee.

You can choose to work in a group of no larger than four, or individually.

The policy paper for a group of four must be eight to ten double spaced pages in length.

The policy paper for an individual must be a minimum of four double spaced pages in length.

All papers should contain the following:

• A description of the immigration issue (one page minimum)

• A review of the possible solutions from all angles (see attached page) (three pages minimum)

• A point by point description of your solutions and why they will work (one page minimum)

• A conclusion that summarizes your solutions and that lays out a plan of talking points to convince the opposition that your solutions are best (one page minimum)

• A bibliography in Chicago Style Format

Individual papers should cite a minimum of all of the organizations attached (next page), two books, two academic articles, and two magazine or newspaper articles

Group papers should cite a minimum of all organizations attached (next page), six books, six academic articles, and six newspaper or magazine articles

You will be given time over the course of the quarter to work in groups or individually on this assignment. You will be given the second half of the period during all January class meetings to work on this project.

Due Date is the last class meeting of the semester. Your will present your proposals for immigration reform on the last class day as well.

Your proposals must deal with the following issues in detail:

What specifically should happen to children born to undocumented immigrants in the United States?

What should happen to undocumented immigrants? Should they be allowed to become citizens? If so, spell out specifically and under what conditions.

What should become of ICE (US Immigration and Customs Service)? Should ICE be reformed?

How can the United States create Latin American policies that help stabilize economic futures in Central America and Mexico? See, for example, Julian Castro’s idea of a Marshall Plan for Latin America.

How can we better secure the border with Mexico?

How can we protect immigrant children who are detained without their parents?

Under what conditions should immigrants be considered for political or humanitarian asylum?

How long should the process of determining asylum be required to take?

How can local, state, and federal border officers be held accountable for possible violations of Federal law?

You may cite or paraphrase solutions taken from current position papers, but they must be quoted and cited explicitly: i.e., According to the Free Enterprise Institute, “…………..” (AEI 1994).

Research Resources: Places to Begin

Conservative

Heritage Foundation: “What Immigration Reform Should Look Like?”

American Enterprise Institute: “Immigration Reform Policy Page”

Libertarian

CATO Institute: “Reforming the Immigration System: A Brief Outline”

Liberal

Brookings Institute: “Immigration Reform Page”

Roosevelt Institute: “Immigration Reform is the Key to Our Economic Future”

American Bar Association: “Reforming the Immigration System”

Advocacy Groups

League of United Latin American Citizens: “LULAC National Policy Platform” (scroll down to immigration):

American Immigration Council: “Topics: Immigration”

American Friends Service Committee: “A New Path”

Paul Horton is History Instructor at University High School, The University of Chicago Laboratory School.

Photo by Payton Chung, used with Creative Commons License.