Background, scope of the problem & legal/policy frameworks
why may an immigrant be compelled to cross the US border without authorization?
1. the prospect of jobs and opportunity
2. the hope of escape from persistent violence in countries
3. the wish to join family
what is a common misconception that immigrants face?
the idea that immigrants have avenues to come here legally if they simply wait their turn
what two recent policies shape what may happen to an immigrant at the Mexico/US border?
Operation Gatekeeper & Operation Streamline
what do social workers need to have an understanding of?
immigration law, and know how to advise an immigrant who has been arrested
what social services aren't available for undocumented immigrants?
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and Medicaid.
what lower end jobs do employers continue to require less educated workers in?
what channels can an immigrant qualify for visas and green cards?
1. meeting the need for highly skilled labor
2. via sponsorship by a legal family member
3. by being admitted as a refugee from political religious, or ethnic persecution
what year did IIRIRA permit releasing immigrants to await adjudication only in very rare circumstances?
1996
name the first two different roles that social workers play a part in the legal system?
Assist the family in finding affordable or pro bono legal counsel & Searching ICE’s online prisoner locator website
what defined policy practice as a core social work competency?
brueggemann (2013)
approx how many people cross the border each year?
500,000
what system do most people seeking permission to live and work in the US apply for?
The family-based system
what risks do immigrants face in detention?
face the risk of being held for a lengthy stay despite a clean record
name the third role a social worker plays part in the legal system.
Help the family to call local jails and prisons to find family members
what did Brueggemann specify?
specifying that professionals identify social policy at federal, state, and local levels to assess the impact on well-being, service delivery, and access to services.
who can the 14th Amendment equal protection clause protect?
can protect immigrants against illegal search of homes or arrest without probable cause
what are some obstacles in the family-based system?
1. per county quota systems and priorities for certain categories of family members
2. a person can wait many years with no promise of ever receiving a visa
what are sanctuary cities?
cities that have adopted policies and/or laws to restrict police from handing over immigrants who have been arrested to ICE, preferring instead to treat these individuals as they would an American who has been arrested
name the fourth role that a social worker can play in the legal system
Understanding the importance of Child Welfare
why is CSWE important?
mandated that students show competence in assessing how social welfare and economic policies affect social services, and in advocating for policies that advance human rights, as well as social and economic justice.
what challenges can an immigrant face in the criminal justice system that a citizen wouldn't
A consultation with an immigration attorney for a deportation hearing is not provided by the justice system; this is because immigration hearings are considered civil rather than criminal proceedings
what do some people use in order to enter the US illegally
Human smugglers (coyotes)
what is Operation Streamline & Operation Gatekeeper?
1. seeks to increase criminal penalties for unlawful border crossing
2. designed to dramatically escalate arrests with more police and high-technology military equipment including drones
name the fifth role that a social worker can play in the legal system
Discuss the issues of immigration and detention with other practitioners and the community to raise awareness; advocate for improved conditions in detention centers and jails
what does it mean when a single family could have "mixed status" members?
legal permanent residents, citizens, and undocumented relatives.