Honors

Policy & Social Justice 2006-2007

Immigration in Context: A Resource Guide for Utah

Wind the clock back far enough and all our families were immigrants. Integrating immigrants is far from easy; ask the Goshutes in Utah or the Irish in Boston. This moment seems to be particularly difficult because of the increasing numbers of immigrants, because the immigrants are predominantly poor, and because many of them have evaded restrictions on immigration in America.

During this Praxis Lab, Honors students sought to understand the immigration dilemma and to help inform the debate in Utah. The students researched history, legislation, economic impacts, the media, and the process of becoming a legal resident of the United States. They travelled to Mexico and spent a week immersed in communities that are struggling with immigration-related challenges on the other side of the border. English major Anna Thompson considered herself euro-centric prior to their visit: “The trip was not only a defining moment in my collegiate career, but also an eye-opening experience in terms of my world view,” she said. “Now the debate is painfully real and sometimes painfully personal.”

As a final project, the team published “Immigration in Context: A Resource Guide for Utah.” Disseminated to policy makers, legislators, educators, community organizations and citizens, the guide presents an unbiased view of immigration, focusing on facts while presenting the human side of the issue.