Mexican Immigration Questions

Your job is to read the following:
Ruth Gomber-Munoz, Labor and Legality, Chapter 3: Jumping and Adjusting to Life Under the Radar, Oxford University Press, 2011.Preview the document
Then write a 150-200 word summary and answer the following discussion questions:
Questions:
From Labor and Legality, Chapter 3:
What was the most striking or interest thing about Chuy’s story of crossing the border?
For undocumented workers, the most difficult task is managing the risks associated with their illegal status. It requires “flying under the radar” at work and in the larger society. How does “flying under the radar” manifest itself in the workplace? Specifically how does it influence and impact employer/employee relations?
Is the stereotyped version of the “hard working Latino immigrant” a good thing or a bad thing for immigrants?
Comparatively speaking, do Mexican immigrants view working in the U.S. harder or easier than working in Mexico? And what are the implications?

Your readings for this week and next week are from the book titled Labor and Legality. It was published in 2011 and the author, Ruth Gomberg-Munoz states, “contradictory and confusing U.S. policy toward unauthorized immigration sends mixed signals to undocumented people.” She adds, “(the policy) leads many undocumented people to doubt the seriousness of anti-immigrant endeavors.” And she concludes with a quote from one of the Lions, Lalo, who says, “the United States is a very powerful country, if they really wanted to keep people out, they would do it.”Obviously, things have changed since this book was published. So the question is do you think the message is clear now? Is it the right message? And do you think it will discourage people for crossing? And if you had the chance to ask Lalo about our current policy toward undocumented workers what do think he would say?
You can cut and past your summary and questions on to a Word Doc or whatever word processing app you use. If you don't use Word, please be sure to save your assignment as a PDF before you upload it. You can also download the Questions here: Labor and Legality Chp 3 Discussion QuestionsPreview the document

Week 9

Monday, March

Discussion Questions

Chapter 3:

1. What was the most striking or interest thing about Chuy’s story of crossing the border?

2. For undocumented workers, the most difficult task is managing the risks associated with their illegal status.  It requires “flying under the radar” at work and in the larger society.  How does “flying under the radar” manifest itself in the workplace?  Specifically how does it influence and impact employer/employee relations?

3. Is the stereotyped version of the “hard working Latino immigrant” a good thing or a bad thing for immigrants?

4. Comparatively speaking, do Mexican immigrants view working in the U.S. harder or easier than working in Mexico?  And what are the implications?

5. Your readings for this week and next week are from the book titled Labor and Legality.  It was published in 2011 and the author, Ruth Gomberg-Munoz states, “contradictory and confusing U.S. policy toward unauthorized immigration sends mixed signals to undocumented people.” She adds, “(the policy) leads many undocumented people to doubt the seriousness of anti-immigrant endeavors.” And she concludes with a quote from one of the Lions, Lalo, who says, “the United States is a very powerful country, if they really wanted to keep people out, they would do it.”

Obviously, things have changed since this book was published.  So the question is do you think the message is clear now?  Is it the right message? And do you think it will discourage people for crossing? And if you had the chance to ask Lalo about our current policy toward undocumented workers what do think he would say?