1
Protecting the Unprotected
Student’s Name
Professor’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Date of Submission
2
Protecting the Unprotected
I fully agree with the insights found in the article entitled "Court to Weigh Protections for
Immigrants Brought to U.S. as Children" by Miriam Jordan and Mattathias Schwartz from The
New York Times. They express very well the fragile nature of the environment that many
undocumented immigrants are going through because of the temporality of the protection offered
by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, to people who have entered the U.S. as
children. DACA has allowed young undocumented immigrants to live, work, and study in the
United States (Jordan & Schwartz, 2023). However, it is still at the mercy of changing courts and
political whims, which some critics say presents an unnecessary financial burden on the nation's
taxpayers while vastly expanding presidential powers far beyond those promoted as significant
elements for that position. There is little doubt that thousands of young undocumented
immigrants have been helped under this program, but its temporary nature has kept the recipients
in an unending state of uncertainty. I agree with this need promoted in the article for a more
stable solution, as DACA offers minimal protections and exists under constant vulnerability due
to fluctuations in government leadership or changes in legal interpretation. A truly sustainable
and lasting solution to this is creating an environment where there is the recognition of the
contribution of these immigrants and hence addressing the inadequacy in the use of DACA in
offering some lasting security.
To support my stance, I will use two class resources, including La Policía, la Migra, la
Misma Porquería! by Mariana Viturro and Walter J. Nicholls's Voice and Power in the
Immigrant Rights Movement. Viturro comments on how immigrant communities are often
criminalized and subjected to state violence, while law enforcement and immigration authorities
often frame immigrants as a security threat rather than as an integral part of society (Viturro,
3
2009). This is a perspective where policy reforms are put in place to give immigrants stable legal
protections, not temporary measures like DACA that do not deal with the greater systemic issues
of criminalization and marginalization. Nicholls's work further supports such a perspective
through the investigation of how the DREAMer movement has efficiently framed public
narratives about undocumented youth as "innocent" and aligned with American values in an
effort to garner public sympathy and legitimacy (Nicholls, 2013). While this increased the
environment of support for DACA, it presented a strain on disagreeing ends by creating an idea
where protection was considered only for those with very particular and narrow qualifications. It
is through these readings that a significant understanding of the need for comprehensive
immigration reform is created. These reforms can once and for all include a clear and accessible
path toward citizenship for all undocumented immigrants, not just selected populations. That
would mean such reform will bring stability in the long run, protect immigrant communities
from the constant threat of deportation, and recognize their essential contribution to American
society. The policy change will save immigrant communities from being treated poorly or, in
some cases, being put in environments where they receive little to no protection from the law.
4
References
Jordan, M., & Schwartz, M. (2023). Court to weigh protections for immigrants brought to U.S.
as children. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/
Nicholls, W. J. (2013). Voice and power in the immigrant rights movement. In C. Menjívar & D.
Kanstroom (Eds.), Constructing immigrant 'illegality': Critiques, experiences, and
responses (pp. 225-243). Cambridge University Press.
Viturro, M. (2009). ¡ La Policía, la Migra, la Misma Porquería! Popular Resistance to State
Violence. Beyond Walls and Cages: Prisons, Borders, and Global Crisis.
SOC/Chc/Lat 169 Immigration & Detention
Professor Mirian Martinez-Aranda
Fall 2024
Opinion Piece Final Paper
Overview:
For this assignment, you are to write an opinion piece that critically engages with a current
immigration issue, building upon the work you've done in Assignments Op-Ed 1 and 2. This
assignment asks that you articulate your perspectives on immigration policy, and its impacts, and
propose potential policy changes, deeply integrating the readings from our course.
Instructions:
1. News Content Selection Recap:
o Select the same piece of news content related to immigration that you worked
with in Assignments 1 and 2. Ensure the news is recent and provides a substantial
basis for in-depth analysis in connection with our course themes.
2. Writing Your Opinion Piece:
o Background Context: Briefly provide an overview/description of the chosen
news piece, emphasizing its relevance to current immigration debates.
o Express Your Opinion: Clearly articulate your stance on the immigration issue
presented in the news piece.
o Support with Evidence: Extensively use evidence and examples from class
readings and discussions, focusing on how they reinforce your viewpoint.
Incorporate insights from at least two readings from the course.
o Propose an Alternative: In detail suggest a specific policy change or solution,
explaining its potential to tackle the issues more effectively at hand.
Formatting and Submission Requirements:
• Length: 4-5 pages, double-spaced.
• Grade Weight: 30% of the course grade.
• Deadline: Submit on Canvas on Wednesday, December 11th before midnight.
• Formatting:
o Margins: 1 inch on both sides.
o Font: Times or Times New Roman, 12 points, double-spaced.
o References: Include a References page in APA format.
▪ If you used ChatGPT, please remember to cite your conversation with the
AI as follows: (ChatGPT, personal communication, October 20, 2024).
o Page Numbers: Ensure the inclusion of page numbers.
• Writing Quality: Ensure your piece is clear, coherent, well-organized, and free from
spelling and grammatical errors.
Note:
No late papers will be accepted after the deadline. Please plan your work schedule accordingly
to ensure timely submission.
1
Purchase answer to see full
attachment