New Developments and Trends Affecting Adult Immigrants and Adult

ESL Programs

TESOL AEIS Academic Session

Tampa, March 2006

Linda Taylor

Immigrant Statistics Quiz

How many non-naturalized immigrants are there in the US? _______________________________

What percentage of non-naturalized immigrants are “unauthorized migrants”?

_________________________________________

How many people in the US are currently eligible for naturalization? _________________________

Immigrant Statistics Quiz

Approximately how many unauthorized migrants arrive in the U.S. each year?________________________________________

What percentage of newly arriving immigrants are from Mexico? ________________________

What percentage of newly arriving Mexicans are unauthorized migrants?________________________________________

US Immigration

Immigration now accounts for one-third of U.S. population growth

The U.S. takes in more immigrants than all other countries combined

Immigration processes and immigration policy continue to be the subject of much political and scientific debate.

--New Immigrant Survey (NIS)

Immigration Facts

35.7 million non-naturalized immigrants residing in the U.S.= 12% of the US population

Legal Immigrants 22.9 million (64%) are Legal Permanent Residents and Temporary

Legal Residents 2.5 million (7%) are refugees (post ’80)

Unauthorized Immigrants 10.3 million (29%)

– Passel, Sept. 2005

Non-naturalized Immigrants in the U.S.: Unauthorized vs. Legal

*LPR, TPR, Refugee

Unauthorized29%

Legal*71%

Legal Immigration

Theoretically based on “family reunification” – long waits for applications for family members by

green card holders

Increasing numbers of visas for workers with special skills (H, J and other visas)

New Legal Immigrants’ Educational Background

Split educational background among new legal immigrants

– More with higher ed. (21% vs. 8% for US citizens) Esp. employment visa holders

– More with less than 9 years (20% vs. 6% US cits.) 6.4% with less than 5 years Mexican-born: 51% less than 9 yrs., 21% less than 5 Esp. parents of US citizens

New Legal Immigrant Profile

Most “new” legal immigrants are not new– 2/3 had been here before– 20% had entered illegally at least once

Most common way to legalize is as spouse of U.S. citizen

Number Eligible to Naturalize

8 million eligible for citizenship– 31% of legal population– 22% of non-naturalized immigrant population

Rate of Immigrant Arrivals

Some historical perspective… Current era of increased immigration flow

began in the 1970s Akin to the large influxes from:

– Irish Potato Famine– 1890s/1900s

US POP Clock Projection, according to US Census Bureau (March 2006)

One birth every.................................. 8 seconds

One death every................................ 12 seconds

One international migrant (net)to the U.S. every……………………… 31 seconds

Net gain of one person every............. 13 seconds

1992 – 2004 : Rise, Peak and Decline of Immigrant Arrivals

Rise from ’92 to ’97 from 1 to 1.2 million Spiked to 1.5 million in ‘99/2000

– 35% higher than in 1995 Declined quickly after 2000 by 25%

– back to 1.1 million Slight “uptick” in 2004 Continued increase since 2004

(Passel, Sept. 2005)

Where are they coming from?

Pattern described holds across sending regions, including Mexico (1/3 of total flow)

57% of undocumented are Mexican + 24% Latin American = 81%

80 – 85% of Mexican immigrants are undocumented

Employed in construction, service and meatpacking

(Passel, Sept. 2005)

Increasing Number of Illegal Migrants Entering the U.S.

1980s: 130,000 entering per year

1992: – 394,000 entering per year (37% of all entrants)

2000 - 2004: – Average 700,000 per year (55% of all entrants)

Effects of Increase inUndocumented Immigration

Irony: Increased border enforcement and immigration laws since the 1990s has caused undocumented to stay in U.S. longer due to the perils of crossing (e.g., robberies, killings, train injuries, death in desert)

Used to return more often to reunite with family– Before 1990s: 95% of Mexicans returned to Mexico within 5

years, having stayed in the US for 1.7 years– By 2004, 76% returned to Mexico within 5 years, and had

stayed an average of 3.5 years

Now women and children crossing alone without father or parental protection at the border

Effects of Increase in Undocumented Immigration

Negative effect of long separations and long work hours on family dynamics – Immigrant children in U.S. schools who spent time

separated from parents are often depressed, act up, have trouble trusting anyone, and don’t respond to the authority of parents they weren’t raised with.

Harvard University study, “The Children of Immigration, 2001

Effects of Increase in Illegal Immigration -- Implications

Adult ESL undocumented students may contend with:

Insecurity of looming deportation and “living in the shadows” Difficulty of learning English with unusually demanding jobs and

work hours Limited or no access to health care

– no Medicaid– Hospitals must provide emergency services, but beyond

that, the availability, rules and risks vary widely Racism and discrimination Family problems Crime and gang violence among youth

Effects of Increase in Illegal Immigration -- Implications

Increased negative public attention on immigrants in general

Adult ESL enrollments may include more undocumented students

Trend: Change in immigrant destinations

Slightly reduced immigrant flows away from “Big 6” large immigrant states (CA, NY, TX, FL, IL, NJ)…

Towards new settlement states (e.g., AZ, NC, IA, GA, TN, etc.) with previously small foreign-born populations

– accelerated starting in mid-90s

Also internal migration away from traditional settlement areas– e.g., Hmong migrating from CA Central Valley to midwest

and other locations

Implications for Adult ESL Programs

Possible need for new ESL programs in areas that have never served adult ESL learners

Need for professional development in basic ESL techniques, program design, accountability, etc. in new settlement states

Possible increase in Beg. ESL Literacy and Beg. ESL learners

Possibility of lower enrollments in the Big 6 states

Trend: Increased accountability in funded ESL programs

Changing data collection system demands in some states, leading to…

Possibility of requiring Social Security numbers– Needed for tracking follow-up employment info

Could deter/prevent undocumented students from attending

Trend: Constantly changing refugee profiles

Currently some refugee groups from very different cultural backgrounds with very limited literacy (e.g. Sudanese, Congo, others)

Implications for adult ESL programs: Need for program staff to constantly learn about new refugee

groups and adjust instruction accordingly Need for cultural orientation and translation services for variety

of refugee groups Need for pre-literacy instruction Limited special funding for refugee classes for new arrivals,

compared to before

New Development:Change in NRS ESL Levels

As of July 1, 2006:

Beginning ESL will be split into Low and High Beginning

Advanced High ESL will be removed for funded programs

New Development:Change in NRS ESL Levels

Limit of 6 levels allowed Most students are Beginning level, and the

range of this level was too large to show progress – for students and programs

Few students served in Advanced High ESL 3.7% (43,697 in 2002 – 03) compared

to 11% or more in all other ESL levels

New Development:Change in NRS ESL Levels

Implications: Mixed blessing Programs will be better able to document success in

serving beginning level learners Programs will need to find solutions to serve

Advanced High ESL students-use state funds for this level (if state funds are

available)-refer to ABE – many ABE programs already contain many non-native speakers

Staff with ESL-trained instructors who understand learning needs of non-native speakers

New Development: Legal status to be required for drivers licenses

Passed as part of REAL ID Act in May 2005– Passed without hearings, testimony or public discussion

Provisions: – Begins in May ’08, but this could be extended by DHS– DL’s won’t be accepted by federal agencies for any “official”

purpose unless they meet the Act’s requirements (e.g., commercial flights, entering a federal building)

Could use passport or military ID instead

New Development: Legal status to be required for drivers licenses

– States must follow DHS requirements which haven’t been issued yet

– States may choose not to change

– States could issue a driving “certificate” for those who don’t meet the requirements

New Development: Legal status to be required for drivers licenses

Implications: Would become slower, harder and impossible for

some to get a driver’s license Unavailability of original documents may make

people unable to drive DHS behind on processing of visa status changes Some legal residents would experience delays Undocumented residents would be unable to get a

license– affects ability to work, attend ESL, care for families, etc.

Trend: High School Exit Exams implemented in most states

17 and 18-year olds (with legal status) are being refused entry into high school programs– local concern about HS completion rates

More than one-third of adult education enrollment is 16 – 21-year olds

Youth enrollment in adult ESL classes may grow

Trend : Focus on transition to post-secondary

Concern about undocumented who graduate from U.S. high school and want to go on to college at in-state tuition rate, but can’t– DREAM Act pending

Current Legislation

Sensenbrenner House bill passed in Dec. 05 (HR 4437)

Major provisions: Makes unlawful presence a crime (felony), not a misdemeanor

– Currently a civil offense, with up to 1 yr. in prison or fine– This would authorize state/local police to enforce federal

immigration law – with no immigration law training

Conviction of “unlawful presence” is an aggravated felony– Precludes eligibility for legalization

Sensenbrenner House Bill

Expands definition of “alien smuggling and harboring”– Criminal offense to knowingly assist undocumented to live

or remain in the U.S.– Seizure of any personal or real property used to facilitate

smuggling or harboring– Could affect:

any social group that helps/counsels undocumented employers, co-workers, friends a US citizen living with an undocumented family

member

Senate Actions

Spector bill– Guest worker concept with no path to legalization– Emphasis on border strengthening

McCain bill – Enter as guest worker, with path to legal

permanent residence and citizenship

Solutions to the push/pull problem

Conservative view – allow temporary work visas– strengthen border– create strict anti-illegal immigrant laws

Liberal view– create larger visa pool for legal, low-skilled foreign workers,

including pathways to legal permanent residence Could involve a short wait for a visa (2 -3 months) Work authorization for undocumented in the U.S.

leading to LPR status– include controls on possible visa black market – border enforcement

Resources

National Immigration Law Center nilc.org/immspbs/index.htm

Pew Hispanic Center

www.pewhispanic.org New Immigrant Survey (NIS)

Part 2: Focus on Citizenship

Presented by Lynne Weintraub

Jones Library ESL, Amherst, MA

Immigrants' major reasonsfor naturalizing

76% To get the right to vote 70% To have better legal rights and protections 65% To show a commitment and pride in being an American 58% I would not have to worry about immigration status 55% To make it easier to get certain jobs 51% To make it easier to travel in and out of the US 36% To make it easier to bring family members to this country 22% To qualify for government programs like Medicaid or food

stamps

Source: Now That I'm Here: What America's Immigrants Have to Say about Life in the US Today by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, 2003

Lynne Weintraub

Common barriers to naturalization

cost missed work hours/travel difficulties legal factors paperwork preparation and lack of info on process feelings of intimidation (with immigration officials) access to instruction availability of slots scheduling transportation/childcare age/undiagnosed disabilities length of time involved (for lowest level students)

Lynne Weintraub