Test Answers and Mid-Term Review

Today in class we turned in our essays, went over our previous test, and talked about the review for our mid-term test. Once again, I'm very proud of my essay and I think I will get a good grade on it. On our last test I got a 93, which is a grade I've gotten before. I got two questions wrong and they were the questions I thought I was going to get wrong. Of course when I found out the answer I felt dumb because it sounded so obvious. On the review for the mid-term I feel pretty good about all the topics. I just need to brush up on the things we did earlier in the year and some facts that I will forget about on the topics we just did. I know there is going to be some questions that I am going to be completely stumped on because that is what happens most of the time, but I'm glad all of the questions are multiple choice so at least I have a chance.

Peer Review and Mechanics of Essay Writings

Today we did the same thing that we did yesterday, which was finishing our essays and having a peer review it. At the end of class we talked about the mechanics of writing an essay and plagiarism. I am done with my essay and I am pretty proud of it. I took a lot of time to write it because I wanted it to be perfect. I think I took a very interesting approach to my essay that I think no one else in my class did. I did use my notes for some of my essay, but a lot of the information I used was things I heard from a show my parents watch, which is called Adam Ruins Everything on Netflix. When we talked about the mechanics of writing a good essay, I didn't have to do anything because I assumed we had to write our essays in Times New Roman font size 12. Overall, I think I did very well on my essay and I'm excited to see my grade.

Sub and Finishing Essay

Today we had a sub for class. We were supposed to finish writing our essay and then if we finished, peer review with someone else who is done. I didn't finish my essay in class because I'm not very good at writing essays in class, which is why I'm grateful that we are allowed to work on it before the exam day. I chose option B, which is about the evolution and effects of immigration policy over the last 100 years. I'm having a little bit of a hard time because I know what I want to say and I know I have good points, I just don't know how to put it into a nice essay and I also want it to be perfect. I currently have two paragraphs done and I'm starting my third one. There is just so many things I want to say, but they don't all belong in the essay even though they are good points. I think I'll be able to write a very good essay if I just sit down and really focus because even though I'm not to into government I do think this topic is important and interesting.

4th Test on Migration

Today we took our fourth test of the year which was on migration. It was a very short test with all multiple choice questions. The first page was easy, but it does help to look at all of the definitions before picking your answer because the next answer might make more sense. I would say about 95% of the multiple choice questions were easy. There were like 3 questions that I completely blanked on. All of the questions were fact based questions that we took notes on. For the 3 questions I think I got wrong, I know I knew the answer because it was on the tip of my brain. Tests with a lot of facts give me just a little bit of anxiety because I know all of the answers, but there is always those questions that you didn't take much time to look at or questions that were just a small part of your notes. You never know what the questions are going to be so that is why it is good to study everything. Although I wish I could remember everything I write down, I can't and so unfortunately when I don't know an answer, I just have to use my common sense, which is sometimes incorrect.

Unauthorized Immigration Notes That I Didn't Already Have

Mexico Border with U.S.

• view from U.S. recognized motives that compel unauthorized immigrants to enter illegally
• employment opportunities 
• family reunification 
• better way of life
• view from Mexico is more complex 
• residents from Northern Mexico wish for compassion to be shown to unauthorized immigrants 
• residents of Southern Mexico are less tolerant because of number of unauthorized immigrants entering from Mexico from Guatemala 

Attitude toward Immigrants

• we don't have middle ground, everyone is either on the yes side or the no side 
• racial profiling with having to carry around proof of being a citizen, if you look Hispanic you would be asked for proof
• sanctuary- give safety to unauthorized immigrants 
• population growth in Europe is fueled by immigrants from other regions, Europe doesn't like that 
• biggest fear is there country's culture will be taken away 
• different language 
• different religions 
• different food and habits 
• hostility to immigrants has become a central plank of some political parties 
• blamed for crime, unemployment rates, and high welfare costs 
• inhospitable climate for immigrants in Europe is especially ironic 
• Europe was main source of most of the world's emigrants 

Characteristics of Migrants (long-distance)

• most are male 
• most are adult individuals 
• most are young adults seeking work 

Unauthorized Immigrants

Today we took notes on the powerpoint, but I already had the notes because the powerpoint is the same thing as the packet we took notes on yesterday. We did talk about unauthorized immigrants and how they make a living. As of 2010, 35% of unauthorized adult immigrants have been in the U.S. for 15 years. Even if you are illegally in the U.S., you still need to make a living because that is what you came for, a better life. Immigrants tend to take a lot of the labor force jobs that Americans don't want to do. Which is why, by the way, it doesn't make sense when people say immigrants are stealing our jobs because how they can steal something that we didn't even want to do? Immigrants contribute a lot in America, illegal or not. Lower paying jobs don't take much to get, so it is a way for unauthorized immigrants to get money without going through a whole process that might expose that they aren't legal. Some other reasons people could immigrate were if they were skilled, hard workers, for diversity so there were more people from every region, and people that could benefit the technology or health in the U.S. If there are unauthorized immigrants that have been in the U.S. for a long time and they are contributing to our country then the government will sometimes reward them with citizenship because they are doing us good. At the end of the day like I've said many times, the main reason the U.S. lets people immigrate here is because it benefits our country.

Packet Notes: Why do migrants face challenges?

• most migrants problems are political 
• they need a passport and a visa to be legal in the United States 
• they are policies that are only for a certain type of immigrants
• Visas are granted:
• specific employment
• family reunification 
• the policies for who can immigrate depends on the four types of immigration in each region 
• first level is maintaining the current amount (16 countries)
• second level is to increase the amount (21 countries) 
• third level is to decrease the amount (32)
• fourth level is no policy (25)
• same levels for emigration 
• 43 countries want to maintain 
• 18 countries want to increase
• 46 countries want to decrease 
• 88 countries have no policy 
• 67 countries want higher skilled immigrants, 14 countries want family reunification 
• immigration is at a historical high level for the United States 
• unauthorized immigrants- people who immigrate illegally (used by academic observers) 
• undocumented immigrants- term used by people who want to help immigrants and make more rights for them 
• illegal alien- term used by people who don't want immigrants 
• 11.3 million (1 million are children) illegal immigrants as of 2014, less than the number of people leaving 
• most come from Mexico 
• 4.5 million babies are born in U.S. making them legal citizens with illegal parents 
• 8 million are employed in the U.S., big part of the labor force because they take the jobs that Americans don't want 
• quotas- maximum limits on number of people who could immigrate per year 
• Quota Act in 1921, National Origins Act in 1924 
• family reunification- 3/4 of immigrants are admitted to reunify families, primarily spouses or unmarried children of people already living in the U.S. (5 year wait) 

Finishing Podcast

Today we finished the podcast and I actually did some talking, which I usually don't. The end of the podcast was talking about asylum today and the difference between what Trump is doing about immigration and what used to be done. Before Trump was president, Barack Obama was and he worked to help people and grow asylum because that is the image the United States of America has given themselves. At the start the United States realized that we could help people in need because we have the space and the resources. Obama wanted to grow asylum because he cared about the people who were in need and realized that America is a place where these people can come to hopefully live a better life. But, even though we say America is great, the sad truth is it is only great for America. From the start of asylum, it was never really about actual helping people because we cared, it was all about how it would make us look compared to the rest of the world. President Trump wants to narrow asylum because he doesn't want any more immigrants. I do not like Trump and I don't support his ideas, but I do understand some of his points. For example, yes it is a safety issue to let some people into the United States and it is not okay for people to attack soldiers at the border. But it is also not okay to let people think that America is about freedom and making the right choices and then not give them what they need because they don't make us look better. Which is not true because the United States actually needs immigrants. They are a big part of our population and they do a lot of the heavy duty jobs that keep our country nice. I will never say someone's opinions are wrong IF they know what they are talking about. Most of people in my class only have an opinion because that is what they are being told to think and that opinion is what is benefiting them. Of course that makes sense, but it is when they don't bother to look at the other side of things and they start to become ignorant about other people's feelings and opinions. I don't have facts and I don't watch the news or know what is going on in the government and so when I raise my hand I am not going to state facts. When I raise my hand I am speaking of people's feelings and the rights they deserve as humans and the rights that America used to say that we will give them. Asylum started because we turned away people in need and we vowed to never turn away someone again. Yes, being hated for your sexuality is not the same as being hated for your race, but it does have the same outcome, which is dying or being put in danger. I just want people to understand that you can have your own opinions, but you have to let other people have theirs and it isn't fair to bash someone because of theirs especially if your opinion is based on absolutely nothing expect for what the majority of people believe. Immigration was never about race or sexuality or domestic violence. It is about how rich or poor you are and what you are going to do for the U.S.

Podcast about Changing Asylum Rules

In class we continued to listen to the podcast about asylum, Trump, and Obama. We left off talking about how the U.S. didn't accept people unless they benefited the U.S. For example, Haitians wanted to come to America for a better economic life, not to receive asylum, which wasn't enough for the U.S. to accept them. When we continued the podcast the lady was talking about how in 2003 or 2004 a girl came to the U.S. to seek asylum because she had been raped and beaten while she was pregnant, making her baby born with bruises. Domestic violence is common in other parts of the world and it wasn't apart of the list of things you could receive asylum for, so around the time Barack Obama was president, domestic violence was added to the ways you could receive asylum. This of course opens a gate for a bunch of other women who are being mistreated by men in other parts of the world to want to come to the U.S. for a better life. As with the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) that helps many people who are in poverty and have health issues, Obama also was looking to expand asylum because the United States is a big nation and can afford to help people in need. A lot of people who say Obamacare is not a good thing probably have no idea how many people it helps and also don't see the point in it because it isn't improving their lives. Unfortunately, less unfortunate people are a big part of our country and the world. President Trump is planning to shorten the reason why you can receive asylum and has already cut domestic and gang violence out of it. He also wants only 30 people to be able to apply each day and wait in Mexico instead of waiting in the United States. We are listening to the podcast so that we can be prepared to have a debate about it in class. While we are listening, we stop it and some people make comments. I don't make any comments or answer any questions because I am afraid I will become to angry. For example, we were asked if we agree with only 30 immigrants each day and I didn't say I don't agree even though I don't agree. I think there should be more because we are able to provide for more than 30 a day and not all 30 of those people are going to be allowed in the U.S. There might only be 10 of those people who get accepted. Like we have already discussed, our population is only growing because of immigration. Also, it is completely unfair to every women and every family suffering from domestic and gang violence to not be able to even have a chance of being free. I do respect other people's opinions and some of their points do make sense, so I will never say someone is completely wrong, but it frustrates me when people don't have any reason to their opinions and when they refuse to see or understand the other side of things. I wish I did feel comfortable to speak about my ideas, but I don't know many facts and I can't really blame people who don't see the other side because that is how they are being raised and they have never experienced anything other than that, so of course they are going to side with what benefits them or doesn't change their life, even if it means ruining many others lives.