Undocumented Youth in America

Ivy March 1, 2013

Orcutt Academy High School Frosh Core

Undocumented Youth

• As of 2012 there were 1.1 million illegal immigrant minors in America.

Do you know any illegal immigrants?

49% of people know

an illegal immigrant

Do you know any illegal immigrants in your

community?

Yes

No

51% 49%

Children Amongst Us

These children attend our

schools and grow up knowing

America as their home.

Social Workers & Undocumented Minors

Social workers are available to assist youth in becoming legal, because many children are

brought to America by their parents and might not even be aware of their legal status

until they apply for college or try to get a driver’s license.

Not Their Choice

Many minors are brought to

America by their parents or

smugglers illegally. They might not be aware of this until

adulthood.

Illegal Minors

46% of the people agree that illegal

minors should have a path to citizenship,

50% strongly agree that

should have a background

check, &

40% disagree that they

should be given a lawyer.

0 10 20 30

Strongly Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Illegal minors shouldbe given a lawyer, bythe government, todefend them incourt.

Illegal minors shouldhave a backgroundcheck before they aregranted citizenship.

Illegal minors shouldbe allowed a path tocitizenship.

65,000 Students

“Every year 65,000 undocumented

students graduate from high school

in the U.S. (Gonzales, 2009)”.

Alone to Defend Themselves

Since these children are illegal, the

government does not have to provide a lawyer for them, so often they attend

their court hearings with only a social worker to assist them (Preston).

Immigration Social Workers

• Social workers can assist undocumented youth in finding a path to citizenship.

Education

The social worker can meet with

them to learn their situation and help find them a lawyer, who will work at a reduced rate or for

charity.

Options

Social workers can also educate them on options like the

DREAM Act, certain student

visas, green cards, and foster

care/adoption.

Social Workers

86% of people

thought that the best way

social workers can

help immigrants is

to educate them of ways to stay here

legally.

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

How can social workersassist illegal minors?

Meet with them andlearn their situation.

Find them a lawyer.

Educate them ondifferent options to stayin America legally.

Accompany them tocourt hearings.

Social Workers & Immigration

• Social workers can help youth in becoming legal, because many children are brought to America by their parents and should be granted a pathway to citizenship.

Reform

I hope that with immigration reform comes better policies

toward minors and easier ways to

come here legally.

Works Cited • Haverkamp, Emily. "What Every Social Worker Should Know

About Immigration Law." Jan/Feb 2008. Social Work Today. 30 January 2013 <http://www.socialworktoday.com/archive/janfeb2008p26.shtml>.

• Maxwell, Lesli A. "The Diversity of America's Undocumented Youth." 9 July 2012. Education Week. 30 January 2013 <http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/learning-the-language/2012/07/the_diversity_of_americas_undo.html>.

• McClellan, Nick. "How Many Illegal Immigrants Live in Your State?" 1 February 2013. Slate. 4 February 2013 <http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/map_of_the_week/2013/02/map_illegal_immigrant_population_by_state.html>.

Works Cited

• Morriss-Compton, Darnell. "Immigration Divides Nation, Unites Social Workers." n.d. Social Work Today. 2013 January 2013 <http://people.bu.edu/humberto/ImmigrationDividesNationUnitesSocialWorkers.htm>.

• National Association of Social Workers. "Immigration and Refugee Resettlement ." 2010. National Association of Social Workers. 30 January 2013 <http://www.naswdc.org/practice/intl/issues/immigration.asp>.

• —. "Social Workers Support Young Immigrants DREAMs." July 2010. National Association of Social Workers. 30 January 2013 <http://www.socialworkers.org/practice/intl/2010/dreamact.asp>.

Works Cited • National Immigration Law Center. "FAQ: Deferred Action for

Certain Immigrant Youth." 27 September 2012. National Immigration Law Center. 30 January 2013 <http://www.nilc.org/FAQdeferredactionyouth.html>.

• Pastor, Robert A. "A Remedy for Voeter Fraud and Illegal Immigration." 31 January 2013. Charlotte Observer. 4 February 2013 <http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/01/31/3825592/a-remedy-for-voter-fraud-and-illegal.html>.

• Politifact. "Facebook post says "less than 2 percent of illegals are picking crops, but 41 percent are on welfare"." 20 June 2012. Politifact. 4 February 2013 <http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/jun/20/facebook-posts/facebook-post-says-less-2-percent-illegals-are-pic/>.

Works Cited

• Preston, Julia. "Young and Alone, Facing Court and Deportation." 25 August 2012. New York Times. 4 February 2013 <http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/us/more-young-illegal-immigrants-face-deportation.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&>.

• Younglai, Rachelle. "House Lawmakers Mull Path to Citizenship for Illegal Immigrants." 31 January 2013. Reuters. 4 February 2013 <http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/01/us-usa-immigration-house-idUSBRE91003N20130201>.

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