Crisis at the Border

1. Set Focus 
Pose this essential question: What factors should inform U.S. immigration policy?

2. Read and Discuss 
Have students read the article, marking key ideas and questions. Then ask them to answer the following questions, citing text evidence: 

• What is the border crisis? What does the article attribute the crisis to? (The border control system at the southern border is overwhelmed. The article attributes the crisis to decades of inaction on the part of Congress to overhaul the immigration system. Though Congress has more than doubled funding for border patrol in the past 13 years, it hasn’t made the same investment for fixing shortages of asylum officers, immigration judges, and deportation officers. In addition, more migrants are seeking asylum, compounding the crisis.)

• Why are more undocumented migrants seeking asylum? (Migrants seeking asylum are assigned court dates that are often set years out. Applicants can’t be deported while waiting for their cases to be heard. During that time, they can build lives in the U.S. and are unlikely to be deported even if their applications for asylum are ultimately denied. But if they try to elude authorities at the border, they could quickly be deported.)

• What point of view do Michael Neifach and Doris Meissner share? Based on your understanding of politics, why do you think Congress hasn’t increased funding? (Both experts agree that the problem can’t be solved without more funds to address the shortages of asylum officers, immigration judges, and deportation officers. Students’ responses about Congress will vary but should be logically supported.)

3. Core Skill Practice
Assign, print, or project the activity Tying Texts Together. Have students follow the tips to write a short constructed response.

4. Writing Prompt
Research proposals for solving the immigration crisis. Pick one and explain whether you agree with it and why.

5. Classroom Debate
Should Congress increase funding for immigration judges?

6. Quiz & Skills
Use the quiz to assess comprehension and the Be the Editor skill sheet to review grammar skills.