Current Issues Lesson 3: Immigration Enforcement Raids
Time: One to two class periods.
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Objective: Students will evaluate the practices and rationale of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Materials:
• A class set of the article "Immigration Enforcement Raids"
• A class set of Handout A (ICE)
• A class set of Handout B (ICE)
Step One. Have the students read "Immigration Enforcement Raids" and answer the questions for discussion. They can read it in class or as homework. Check for understanding.
Step Two. Organize the class into small groups of three or five students each. Distribute Handouts A and B to each student.
Step Three. Inform each group that they are an advisory committee in the Office of Policy & Planning of ICE. Their task is to advise the Assistant Secretary in charge of ICE on the effectiveness of ICE enforcement actions. They have been given the job of assessing whether ICE's current practices are effective in stemming illegal immigration.
Step Four. Inform each group that they need to evaluate the five examples of ICE enforcement actions shown in Handout A. Each member of the group is responsible for recording their answers on Handout B.
Step Five. Once all the groups have completed their evaluation, have a representative of each group report their committee's findings to the class. Keep a tally of the responses on the board.
Step Six. Debrief with the students. Should ICE continue the practices of the "fugitive operations teams?" Why or why not? Is there additional action ICE must take to enforcement actions? If so, what do the students suggest?
Additional Debrief Questions: Was it difficult for their groups to reach consensus? Why or why not? Was it difficult for any members to assume the role of an ICE advisor? If so, why?
NOTE: Students will have different opinions about what should be done to address the issue of illegal immigration. In this activity, they have to assume the role of advisors to the agency primarily responsible for enforcing immigration laws. For help in addressing controversy in the classroom, please see Handling Controversy in the Classroom, available on this website from CRF.