History 102 essays on historical documents you will be required to submit three (3)

1. Awareness and distribution of El Plan Espiritual de Aztlan. Presented at every meeting, demonstration, confrontation, courthouse, institution, administration, church, school, tree, building, car, and every place of human existence.

For all peoples, as with individuals, the time comes when they must reckon with their history. For the Chicano the present is a time of renaissance, of renacimiento. (rebirth) Our people and our community, el barrio and la colonia, (neighborhood) are expressing a new consciousness and a new resolve. Recognizing the historical tasks confronting our people and fully aware of the cost of human progress, we pledge our will to move. We will move forward toward our destiny as a people. We will move against those forces which have denied us freedom of expression and human dignity. Throughout history the quest for cultural expression and freedom has taken the form of a struggle. Our struggle, tempered by the lessons of the American past, is an historical reality.

for social and political action; it is the essence of Chicano commitment. Culturally, the word Chicano, in the past a pejorative and class-bound adjective, has now become the root idea of a new cultural identity for our people. …The widespread use of the term Chicano today signals a rebirth of pride and confidence. Chicanismo simply embodies an ancient truth: that a person is never closer to his/her true self as when he/she is close to his/her community.

our people and from an objective analysis of our community's strategic needs. We recognize that without a strategic use of education, an education that places value on what we value, we will not realize our destiny. Chicanos recognize the central importance of institutions of higher learning to modern progress, in this case, to the development of our community. But we go further: we believe that higher education must contribute to the information of a complete person who truly values life and freedom.

…Commitment to the struggle for Chicano liberation is the operative definition of the ideology used here. Chicanismo involves a crucial distinction in political consciousness between a Mexican American (or Hispanic) and a Chicano mentality. The Mexican American or Hispanic is a person who lacks self-respect and pride in one's ethnic and cultural background. Thus, the Chicano acts with confidence and with a range of alternatives in the political world. He is capable of developing an effective ideology through action.

…M.E.Ch.A. is a first step to tying the student groups throughout the Southwest into a vibrant and responsive network of activists who will respond as a unit to oppression and racism and will work in harmony when initiating and carrying out campaigns of liberation for our people. … The spirit of M.E.Ch.A. must be one of hermandad (brotherhood) and cultural awareness.

M.E.Ch.A. must be able to relate to all segments of the barrio, from the middle-class assimilationists to the vatos locos. (crazy men)

1. 
   Policing social and governmental agencies to make them more responsive in a humane and dignified way to the people of the barrio.
   

2. 
   Carrying out research on the economic and credit policies of merchants in the barrio and exposing fraudulent and exorbitant establishments.
   

3. 
   Speaking and communicating with junior high and high school students… supporting their actions.
   

4. 
   Spreading the message of the movement by any media available.
   

5. 
   Exposing discrimination in hiring and renting practices and many other areas
   

It may mean at times having to work in conjunction with other organizations. If this is the case and the project is one begun by the other organization, realize that M.E.Ch.A. is there as a supporter and should accept the direction of the group involved. Do not let loyalty to an organization cloud responsibility to a greater force - la Causa.

Throughout American history immigration and anti-immigrant sentiment has been a major issue. While immigration of some Asian groups was restricted in the late 19^th and early 20^th century there were no global, generalized restrictions until 1917, 1921, and 1924. Since these restrictions have been in place, one can speak of legal and illegal immigration to the United States. Common parlance often refers to illegal immigrants in the US today as “undocumented residents.”

In the last several decades there have been three major efforts to address border security, legal immigration, and the status of the undocumented.

In 1986 Congress, during the administration of Ronald Reagan, passed the Immigration Reform and Control Act, which addressed issues of border security and provided amnesty to 3,000,000 undocumented residents.

In 2007, during the administration of George W. Bush, Congress failed to pass the Comprehensive Reform Immigration Act, which would have provided amnesty (legalization) and a path to citizenship for approximately 12,000,000 undocumented residents and enhanced border security.

And in 2013 the Senate, guided by eight of its most respected members, passed but the House of Representatives failed to pass the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act. This legislation would have allowed millions of undocumented residents to gain green cards and eventually—after thirteen years—obtain citizenship. It would have also put in place a mandatory workplace verification system for employers; implemented a program to give visas to lesser skilled workers; and shifted the legal immigration system away from a family-based system to one based on work skills.

In 2013 the White House strongly supported the immigration bill and in late 2014, in response to Congress’ failure to once again pass immigration reform, President Obama issued an Executive Order protecting up to 5,000,000 undocumented residents from deportation because of their status, an act which Republican leaders argued was an overreach of presidential authority and unconstitutional, citing the Constitution, Article 1, Section 8, which gives Congress the authority to determine how an immigrant can become naturalized.

While the question of immigration reform that includes legalization of the status of undocumented residents and a path to eventual citizenship is not strictly partisan (there are Democrats and Republicans on both sides of the issue), the issue is largely seen today as one of major difference between the nation’s two political parties.

Read the following documents on immigration:

SUPPORTING LEGALIZATION OF UNDOCUMENTED RESIDENTS AND EVENTUAL CITIZENSHIP

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  Excerpts from Fixing Our Broken Immigration System: A Path to Citizenship, The White House, 2013
  
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  President Obama’s Speech on Immigration, 2014
  

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  Republican Party Platform on “Immigration,” 2012
  
• 
  Excerpts from Senator Jeff Sessions’ Handbook on Immigration for the Republican Majority, 2015
  

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  Congress needs to pass immigration legislation that will approve the objectives of President Obama’s 2014 Executive Order and ,further, should provide undocumented residents with legal status and a path to citizenship because it is the right thing to do morally, it will benefit the nation’s economy and institutions and it will improve our fiscal stability.
  

• 
  Congress should not pass immigration legislation that will approve the objectives of President Obama’s 2014 Executive Order and, further, should not at this time provide undocumented residents with legal status and a path to citizenship because it is not the right thing to do morally, it will harm the nation’s economy and institutions, and will have a negative impact on our fiscal stability.
  

* What moral arguments did the White House use to support legalization and a path to citizenship for undocumented residents in 2013? What moral argument did the Republican Platform in 2012 take on the issue of legalization of undocumented residents?

*What were the reasons President Obama felt that his Executive Order was needed in 2014 and why did Republicans strongly oppose it?

* What are the economic rationales for each side on the issue of legalization and/or a path to citizenship?

* What would the impact of proposed legalization and/or a path to citizenship be on both civil society and institutions, according to each side?

* What historical events or facts does each side use to support its viewpoint?

* How does each side use the status of border enforcement to support its position?

* How does each side use public opinion to supports its position?

In setting forth your thesis, keep in mind the following events discussed in the textbook and lectures during the semester, and how they relate to American attitudes on immigration and the views of the documents’ authors.

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  Nativist anti-immigrant sentiment from 1880- 1920
  
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  Social Darwinism
  
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  Chinese Exclusion Act 1882
  
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  Gentlemen’s Agreement 1907
  
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  Anti-German sentiment during World War I
  
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  Emergency Quota Act 1921
  
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  Immigration Act 1924
  
• 
  Relocation of Japanese-Americans during World War II
  
• 
  Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965
  

“We all know that today we have an immigration system that’s out of date and badly broken…. But for comprehensive immigration reform to work, it must be clear from the outset that there is a pathway to citizenship. We’ve got to lay out a path—a process that includes a background check, paying taxes, paying a penalty, learning English, and then going to the back of the line, behind all the folks who are trying to come here legally, That’s only fair. So that means it won’t be a quick process but it will be a fair process. And it will lift these individuals out of the shadows and give them a chance to earn their way to a green card and eventually to citizenship.” President Barack Obama, January 29, 2013

Today, there are 11 million undocumented immigrants living and working in the shadow economy. At the same time, too many employers hire undocumented workers, undercutting businesses that play by the rules. Neither is good for the economy or the country.

The bipartisan Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act (S. 744) passed by the Senate is an opportunity for our country to finally fix its broken immigration system. This commonsense legislation, drafted and supported by both Democrats and Republicans, has four pillars: (1) continue to strengthen our borders; (2) crack down on companies that hire undocumented workers; (3) hold undocumented immigrants accountable before they can earn their citizenship by requiring them to pass background checks, pay penalties and their taxes, learn English, and go to the back of the line; and (4) streamline the legal immigration system for families, workers, and employers.

A majority of Americans support a path to earned citizenship. However, some in Congress have suggested that immigration reform should provide only legal status, without any opportunity for those who are getting on the right side of the law to earn their way to citizenship. This “legalization- only” approach violates a basic principle of our country: that anyone, no matter where they came from, can become an American citizen if they’re willing to work for it and take on the responsibilities of citizenship. We cannot afford a system that creates a group which can never become fully American, denying equal rights to people who pay the same taxes and play by the same rules even after they've paid a penalty and gotten on the right side of the law.

While the bipartisan bill passed by the Senate creates a path to earned citizenship, the path is long, and by no means easy. No one would automatically gain citizenship, but rather only those that meet several criteria – including paying penalties, fines, and their taxes, learning English, passing extensive background checks, and going to the back of the line – would have the opportunity to earn citizenship.

Our country is stronger when everyone has a stake, everyone pays their taxes and fulfills their responsibilities, and everyone is equally invested in our common future. It makes no sense to tell a major and sizeable group of people who are willing to work hard, learn English, pay taxes, and raise American children that they can never have access to full citizenship in this country. Indeed, this would undercut the very values that make our country strong.

An approach to immigration reform that leaves out a path to earned citizenship would jeopardize not only a core principle underlying commonsense immigration reform but also some of its economic and fiscal benefits. As highlighted in this report, a range of economic research has shown that the roughly 11 million immigrants living and working in the United States without authorization are earning far less than their potential, paying much less in taxes, and contributing significantly less to the U.S. economy than they would if they were given the opportunity to gain legal status and earn U.S. citizenship. And in particular, this research has shown the significant economic costs – in terms of lost growth, earnings, tax revenues, and jobs – associated with failing to provide a path to earned citizenship for these families. Moreover, the “legalization-only” approach would apparently impose so many restrictions on the legal status available to current undocumented immigrants that many might be afraid to come forward. Thus, they might also jeopardize the economic gains that come from bringing undocumented workers out of the shadows.

Economists, business leaders, and American workers agree – we must take advantage of this historic opportunity to fix our broken immigration system in a comprehensive way. To this end, the President urges the House of Representatives to take action and stands willing to work with all parties to make sure that common sense immigration reform becomes a reality as soon as possible.

This report highlights the economic benefits of citizenship – and what it would cost the country if we were to fail to provide a path to earned citizenship to millions of legalizing workers.

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  Total Income +321 billion in additional income for all Americans by
  

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  Federal/State taxes +75 billion more taxes paid by undocumented immigrants
  
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  New jobs +820,000 more jobs for all U.S. workers