ktmeng/mec huggingface dataset:
Topic: immigration

The influx of refugees and immigrants across the European borders in the year 2015 was seen by others as a foreseeable crisis that was contributed by improper implementation of the EU immigration policies. The signs of this crisis were significant in 2013, when the governments were cautioned of the large inflows and loss of live on the Mediterranean Sea. In as much as the effects of this inflow was felt Italy, it was a significant warning of the crisis ahead. The situation blew out of proportion in 2015, when the flows from Turkey to Greece increased tremendously, and more movements were experienced through the Wester Balkans and spread to other EU member states.
Topic: immigration

The rate at which persons are being displaced from their countries of origin is increasing over the previous years. In 2015 the highest number of people have been displaced I the world since the last world war (Herwig, 2016). The huge number of refugees seem to be a menace on the side of European Union. In just a year (2015), over a million refugees have been reported to have moved from North Africa to the European Union across the Mediterranean Sea. The large numbers of refugees lead to the announcement of refugee crisis in the EU.
Topic: immigration

There are several proposed solutions to try and solve this crisis that is being experienced in the European Union. Each member of the European Union should actively involve themselves in solving the crisis by creating a new approach since the Dublin system seems to have failed. The union should make sure that each member state fulfills its first reception responsibilities thus preventing the refugees from moving to other states so as to live better. The EU can come up with an agreement that would define the sharing the reception of refugees in a manner that is just to both the refugee and the member states to ensure that the states commit to fully be responsible for hosting the refugees.
Topic: immigration

In this section we discuss the general form of the proposed research topic, methods that are proposed to be used with justification and why they were preferable. The section also contains the definition of the sample design and sapling methods that will be applied in implementing the research topic. The research process is going to utilize primary data sources in collection of data for the research study. The main data collection method is questionnaires. Questionnaires are common in cases of collection of data from a large sample. The questionnaires are sent to the selected respondents who are required to respond to the questions and then return the questionnaire. The questionnaire is composed of a set of questions that are arranged in some sequential order. The respondents read the set of questions contained in the questionnaire and then responds to the questions in the spaces available.
Topic: immigration

The following are advantages of using questionnaires as a method of data collection in a certain research problem; First, has lower costs compared to other methods even when the target population is scattered over a large geographical area. The researcher sends the questionnaires to the respondents, this may be done through mail or email. The respondents then pick the questionnaires and answer the questions as stated by the instructions. The posting of such material is such a low-cost process that even when the population is widely spread. Therefore, by using questionnaires one is able to reach a wide audience efficiently at lower costs.
Topic: immigration

Second, there is limited to no researcher’s bias. The respondents write the responses in their own words with limited influence from the researcher. Once the questionnaire is posted to the respondent, the researcher’s influence on the responses is limited to the instructions that are provided on the questionnaire. Therefore, in general researcher bias is limited by the researcher having limited control over responses from the chosen sample. Respondents have enough time to think about their responses. Since the questionnaire is sent to the respondent and he or she is given time to respond. The respondent is under little pressure to answer the questions in the questionnaire. The respondent may therefore take his or her time to comprehend the questions and come up with suitable answers for the same. In general questionnaires will fetch more properly thought out responses as compared to other methods of data collection that require immediate response.
Topic: immigration

Using questionnaires makes it possible to reach respondents that are not easily accessible. Some respondents in the target population may not be available for procedures such as interviews or to be observed. Since questionnaires are posted and the respondents pick and answer the questions at their own time, this makes it convenient for such persons the respondent takes his or her time to respondent when they are free at their own convenience. Lastly, questionnaires can be used to reach a large sample. Questionnaires can be sent to a large sample of respondents in the target population since it is affordable to do so. There is also convenience in sending the questionnaires to such a large sample thus making the data generated more dependable and trustworthy in the research thus can be used in coming up with generalizations.
Topic: immigration

As immigration features very highly and cannot be ignored on the political agendas, it is crucial to study immigrants’ participation and their impacts on various political arenas. When looking at the minority ethnic groups’ engagement in the national and local politics, it generally occurs that minority ethnic candidates are under-represented and they only favour participation at the grass-roots level (Anwar, 2002). Primarily, the Conservative Party which had racial discrimination history like Enoch Powell’s anti-immigration Rivers of Blood’ speech in Birmingham (Savage, 1968), usually faces a serious challenge when it comes to securing the support from non-white voters.
Topic: immigration

According to the British Election Study of ethnic minority voters live in three major gateway cities of UK, London, Birmingham and Manchester, there was 76 per cent of non-white voters backed Labour Party, while only 17 per cent voted Conservative (Green et al., 2018). One interesting thing to notice here is that although the majority of non-white ethnic groups in Birmingham has always been voting for the Labour Party, the demographic was completely reversed in the recent general election.
Topic: immigration

Birmingham, one of Britain’s most diverse cities, divided over immigration and helped tilt the vote towards Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party with Brexit’ as political agenda. The growing number of upwardly mobile migrant voters must have thoroughly convinced by the Conservatives by their stronger reputation for sound economic management, then became a more palatable electoral choice for a greater number of Birmingham-based ethnic minority voters. As Bloomfield puts, ‘There are lots of ethnic communities that are at the lower end of the labour market, and it is fair to say that the vote for Remain was not as solid in those areas as it was expected’ (Bloomfied, 2019).
Topic: immigration

Beyond that, the number of minority ethnic candidates in Birmingham was increasing towards the end of the twentieth century (Garbaye, 2002) as efforts had been made by the Conservative Party and Liberal Democrats to support minority ethnic candidates to gain a substantial share of the vote. However, Dr Fieldhouse, in his study of minority ethnic politics in Birmingham, stated that ‘political parties that exclusively represented minority ethnic groups have had a little electoral impact’. The attempts to involve minority ethnic groups in specific advisory and consultative bodies were unsuccessful as they were more likely to participate in interest groups focusing on specific community issues. Over the years, many large ethnic minority organizations had become actively associated with Birmingham City Council’s urban regeneration programmes (Council, 2019). Hence, much bigger migrants’ participation is to be found at the local grassroots level as compared to the mainstream national level.
Topic: immigration

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is an Indian-American author and poet born on July 29, 1956 . Her themes include the Indian experience , contemporary America, women, immigrations , history, myth and the joys and challenges of living in a multicultural world. Subsequently, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni has built herself up among the main scholars of Indian legacy writing in English. All that she expounds on is India. Her new style of writing is different from many other Indian writers as it is much less conservative than Indian literature has been in the past.
Topic: immigration

To attempt to address these challenges, Law Enforcement organizations adapted the use of SpeechGuard which is one of the world’s only professional voice translator and language assistant. This handheld device is used by over 300 agencies throughout the Universtates, the SpeechGuard is a very usefeul to have for any person or organization facing a language barrier. The growing field of language access led the way in building bridges between police and Hispanic, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian communities.
Topic: immigration

The ideas of ‘Place and Displacement’ has conveyed through the poems ’10 Mary Street’ and ‘Migrant Hostel’ by Peter Skrzynecki, and the Ted talk ‘What does it mean to be a refugee’ directed by Biljana Labovic. Place means a sense of belonging of the person to a place, whereas, displacement means a sense of not belonging. From three different texts, techniques will be identified and analyzed the theme of place and displacement. The poem ’10 Mary Street’ by Peter Skrzynecki has instilled the idea of place from the eyes of young Peter looking at his family new life when they migrate to Australia.
Topic: immigration

Metaphor is conveyed in the last two lines of the stanza, hunger and hate create almost physical barriers for belonging. Words such as ‘partitioned’ is a figurative language suggesting separation, it’s also a barrier to connect or share experiences with different culture groups. Alliteration of the ‘h’ sound evokes the harshness of war-time experiences and prejudices. Abstract nouns also carry the strength of the forces that pull people apart. The last stanza highlights the lack of belonging in the Australian society.
Topic: immigration

The imagery technique represents a physical barrier interfere the migrants to feel settled in Australia. ‘Rose and fell like a finger’ the use of simile reinforces the image of the barrier rising and falling to allow certain people through create a feeling of alienation and discomfort. Contrast of ‘begun/dying’ demonstrates the little control of the migrants over their lives. Emotive language of dying is suggesting uncertainty about the future and a sense of belonging. Thus, throughout the poem, it has clearly explored the idea of displacement and it has brought up a realistic perspective of a migrant.
Topic: immigration

The TED talk, ‘What does it mean to be a refugee’ directed by Biljana Labovic has explored the idea of displacement through the information about refugees and their plight. Loneliness and isolation is caused by physical and emotional displacement. When the speaker mentions, ‘That persecution may be due to their race, religion and is often related to war and violence’, in the background, there was an image of a grey sky which is perceived as emotionless and pessimistic. While the sounds of the black birds are like crying miserably, the somber tone of music is the demonstration of loneliness, isolation and even depression. In contrast, whereas some people choose to attend the refugee journey with their families, others determined to come alone and reunite with their families later.
Topic: immigration

As we can see, the poem ’10 Mary Street’ by Peter Skryznecki has instilled the idea of place through the experience of migrating to Australia. Similarly, ‘Migrant Hostel’ by Peter Skryznecki and the Ted talk by Biljana Labovic have expressed the idea of displacement from the main perspective of the migrants and refugees. At the end, all three different texts have successfully conveyed the idea of ‘Place and Displacement’.
Topic: immigration

Established institutions in society, such as the government, employers, and civil society, must take the lead to promote integration within their establishments (Modood, 2011: 4). For integration to take place, Modood asserts that citizen’s rights and opportunities “must be made effective through anti-discrimination laws and policies” (Modood, 2011: 4). Sergio Carrera and Anja Wiesbrock define civic integration, a relatively new extension of integration, as the “strong cultural and identitarian connotations on the juridical framing of the phenomena of human mobility and diversity” (Carrera et al, 2009: 3).
Topic: immigration

They go on to explain that, in contemporary international migration, it “can be considered a new discursive line intending to hide the much-contested classical logics of assimilation or acculturation” (Carrera et al, 2009: 3). Mireille Paquet defines civic integration as policies that “correspond to mandatory measures focused on the acquisition of language and on the demonstration of individual alignment with a set of national often presented as liberal – values” (Paquet, 2012: 244).
Topic: immigration

According to Paquet’s definition, these civic integration programs may contradict multicultural models of immigration since they usually intend on influencing the beliefs and values of immigrants to fit with the pre-existing national identity. Civic integration programs commonly employ integration courses or introductory/orientation programmes, tests and contracts (Carrera et al, 2009: 3). Political philosopher Will Kymlicka defines multiculturalism as the legal and political accommodation of ethnic diversity (Kymlicka, 2012: 1). Modood offers a more detailed explanation, stating that multiculturalism is “where processes of integration are seen both as two-way and as involving groups as well as individuals and working differently for different groups” (Modood, 2011: 4).
Topic: immigration

In this sense, Modood explains, each group is distinctive, and thus “integration cannot consist of a single template” (Modood, 2011: 4). In the context of multicultural integration and citizenship, Modood says that multiculturalism can be mistaken as being “about encouraging minority difference without a counterbalancing emphasis on cross-cutting commonalities and a vision of a greater good.” This, he believes, convinces many that multiculturalism can be “divisive” and a “productive of segregation” (Modood, 2011: 10). This interpretation may add stigma and stymie effective multicultural naturalisation policy.
Topic: immigration

In simple terms, a citizenship test determines whether a person is qualified to become a citizen (Etzioni, 2007: 353). However, this definition is rather limited especially in the context of modern international migration. Amitai Etzioni describes them as tools used to control the level and composition of immigration (Etzioni, 2007: 353). To support this claim, he notes how almost exclusively immigrants or their children who are subject to these tests and how, historically, citizenship exams have been “introduced or modified in line with changing attitudes towards immigration in those nations that utilise them” (Etzioni, 2007: 353). A proper citizenship test, Etzioni asserts, should “establish both whether they are acculturated (on some key fronts) and are fully aware of their right to keep their differences in many other areas.” (Etzioni, 2007: 359).
Topic: immigration

The meaning or status of citizenship itself has different meanings dependent upon the perspective used. The liberal perception of citizenship views it as a set of rights enjoyed equally by every member of a certain society (Etzioni, 2007: 358). Liberal citizenship tests “determine whether future citizens are aware of their right to free speech, and that it cannot be denied. They seek to ensure that citizens know that they are free to form any associations as they wish, practice their religion and so on” (Etzioni, 2007: 358). A neo-communitarian perspective views citizens as “both right-bearing individuals and as persons who must assume responsibilities towards each other and toward the community at large” (Etzioni, 2007: 359).
Topic: immigration

Neo-communitarians believe citizenship tests should include normative commitments, not just knowledge. Preparation for neo-communitarian tests would include significant efforts towards acculturation, but not the fostering of assimilation in the sense that “it would encourage eradication of subcultures of various immigrants” (Etzioni, 2007: 359). Contrarily, authoritarian communitarians believe that, in order to maintain social harmony, individual rights and political liberties “must be curtailed” (Etzioni, 2007: 359). Authoritarian communitarians also assert that the West’s notion of liberty is anarchic, that strong economic growth requires limiting freedoms, and that the West “uses its idea of legal and political rights to chastise other cultures that have inherent values of their own” (Etzioni, 2007: 360). Proponents of this view of citizenship usually prefer other means of immigration control instead of using citizenship tests (Etizoni, 2007: 360).
Topic: immigration

The path to full Dutch citizenship is expensive, unaccommodating, and many suggest it does not fit a multicultural model of integration. The possession of a Dutch high school (or higher) diploma provides exemption from the requirement to pass a citizenship test for naturalisation (Groenendijk et al, 2010: 9). This exemption implies that the citizenship test will primarily affect first generation of immigrants, who have generally not followed Dutch education, and second generation school drop-outs, “the number of which is exceptionally high in the Netherlands” (Groenendijk et al, 2010: 9). These latter categories will be barred by the expensive and complicated Dutch citizenship test, which will need to be passed in order to acquire full citizenship and permanent residence (Groenendijk et al, 2010: 9).
Topic: immigration

Since the introduction of this test in April of 2003, naturalisations decreased by 50% (Groenendijk et al, 2010: 9). The test, for which no study material has been made available, was made so difficult that many immigrants did not register to take the expensive test in the first place (Groenendijk et al, 2010: 9-10). This is clearly to the detriment of immigrants with low levels of education and is therefore not consistent with a multicultural model of integration. Although one of the official aims of the test was to improve integration, the opposite effect occurred many immigrants gave up their wish for full citizenship (Groenendijk et al, 2010: 10).
Topic: immigration

Hence, this citizenship test creates extra barriers for lower-educated immigrants who lack the financial means to obtain the level required by the test and is difficult to justify in respect of the principle of equal treatment of all citizens in a liberal democracy (Groenendijk et al, 2010: 10). In regards to content, political sociologist Christian Joppke classifies the Dutch citizenship test as a nationalist imposition of ill-defined Dutch norms and values on (Muslim) immigrants, with increasingly punitive and exclusionary connotations (Joppke, 2010: 1).
Topic: immigration

After decades of using an effective multicultural model of immigrant naturalisation, Joppke notes how Dutch political elites responded by scaling back social multiculturalism and turning towards civic integration (Joppke, 2007: 6). The contents of the test itself aims to promote participation in mainstream Dutch institutions, and obliges most non-EU newcomers to participate in a 12-month integration course, which consists of 600 hours of Dutch language instruction, civic education, and preparation for the labour market (Joppke, 2007: 6). Migrants are also required to pay for the integration courses in full (Joppke, 2007: 7).
Topic: immigration

Many have praised the Canadian citizenship test as an exemplary process of naturalisation. The test, by most accounts, adequately accommodates multicultural integration (Banting et al, 2013: 587). The exam is one of the last steps in Canada’s naturalisation process (Pacquet, 2012: 251). The test is comprised of 20 multiple choice questions, focusing on themes such as democracy, citizens rights and duties, and Canadian history, geography, economy, and political institutions (Pacquet, 2012: 253).
Topic: immigration

Political philosopher Mareille Pacquet states that, due to the “relative simplicity” of the test and the “broad scope of the study guide,” with proper preparation, most candidates will be able to pass the test (Pacquet, 2012: 253). Therefore, Pacquet asserts that the test has a “rather minimalist conception of citizenship, and its content does not seem to be an obstacle to naturalization” (Pacquet, 2012: 253).
Topic: immigration

According to Banting and Kymlicka, the citizenship test combines multiculturalism and integration due to two main elements which are critical to this compatibility (Banting et al, 2013: 588). Firstly, language training and integration programmes are provided by the Canadian government free of charge. There is no linkage between participation in them and continued residency or access to social benets (Banting et al, 2013: 588). Secondly, the Canadian national identity actively embraces and celebrates diversity (Banting et al, 2013: 588). Banting and Kymlicka attribute this multicultural sentiment to the adoption of bilingualism and multiculturalism in Canada in the 1960s and 1970s, which represented a state-led redefinition of national identity, an effort to deemphasize the historic conception of the country as a British society and to build an identity more reactive of Canada’s cultural complexity (Banting et al, 2013: 588).
Topic: immigration

Although the Canadian conservative government has since instituted some reforms in order to redefine Canadian identity by emphasizing more traditional symbols such as the monarchy and the military, these reforms have not sought to eliminate multiculturalism and has operated through incremental adjustments (Banting et al, 2013: 589). The Canadian citizenship test harmoniously coexists with Canada’s multicultural approach to integration and provides very few cultural barriers to a sense of belonging (Banting et al, 2013: 588).
Topic: immigration

While Canada’s citizenship exam is well-balanced and based on a practical understanding of things such as the country’s history and the rights of its citizens, the Dutch integration requirements are structured as “a form of assimilation” based on the mandatory adherence of a “thick public moral that the immigrant is expected to share” (Michalowski, 2009: 2). This distinction is key to understanding which citizenship tests can effectively accommodate multicultural integration. While Canada provides study guides for its citizenship test, the Netherlands has decided to keep questions and answers to its exams secret (Michalowski, 2009: 9). Unlike the Canadian test, the Dutch exam “asks questions about (supposedly) Dutch social norms which immigrants are asked to know and respect” (Michalowski, 2009: 21).
Topic: immigration

The Netherlands, unlike Canada and other states with multicultural approaches to integration, employ a citizenship test, which stresses the “large role” that the Dutch state assumes over immigrant integration, as “even details of social interactions are considered to fall under the scope of state action” (Michalowski, 2009: 21). Professor Ines Michalowski even goes as far to state that the presence of these “lifestyle questions” may serve to target and alienate certain ethnic groups such as religiously conservative Muslims, as the test even addresses controversial issues such as “equality between men and women, the (legal) acceptance of homosexuality or the illegal character of honor killings, female genital mutilation, and forced marriage” (Michalowski, 2009: 21). Such citizenship exams have led some scholars to believe that the aim of these tests is not to “enhance citizenship capacity and the free unimpeded development of the self in manifold associations with others” but to “enhance governments” control of membership of the polity and the disciplining of the migrant population” (Kostakopoulou, 2010: 16). While some states such as Canada adopt processes of naturalisation which seek to prepare immigrants for life in their country, others such as the Netherlands structure citizenship tests and other integrations methods to influence immigrants and indoctrinate them into their chosen ideals, beliefs, and practices.
Topic: immigration

In conclusion, citizenship tests can coexist with multicultural approaches to integration if they are accessible, ease immigrant transition, and instead of seeking to shape their own culturally-derived beliefs and ideals, they encourage different beliefs and ethnic diversity. As interstate migration continues to rise, citizenship tests that do not fit multicultural models of integration will be increasingly visible. Migration is an innate human right that must be upheld, and should not be subject to heavily-assimilationist policies that do not tolerate alternative cultural views and practices. While, in some cases, civic integration may merely seek to ease immigrant transition, some states have used this term as a guise to influence their migrant population. In order to facilitate a more inclusive, pluralistic international society, citizenship tests and other forms of naturalisation must employ multicultural models of integration. Barriers to citizenship only serve to alienate immigrants and exclude them from certain benefits that are normally granted to nationals. States should denounce overly-restrictive naturalisation processes as this may promote the fusion of different cultures internationally.
Topic: immigration

“Look at Mexico. We need to make the government better and end the corruption. If people have a better life in their country, they won’t come over here”(Garza,Tony). It’s needless to say that the government needs to change. People are going to be looking for asylum because it isn’t safe for them in their own country or they are trying to make a better life for themselves and their families. In a recent tweet, President Donald Trump attempts to portray migrants as criminals, Mexico should move the flag waving Migrants, many of whom are stone cold criminals, back to their countries.
Topic: immigration

“We have a problem in our country, but it’s not because of us. We are not causing the problems. We are looking for a better life, especially for our kids”, she told ABC News. “In our country, when (our kids) go to study, they can be kidnapped or killed. We are not bad people. We just want a better life for our families” (Moore, Burton, and Hutchinson). Immigrants dream and hear tales of amazing and wonderful things the United States can provide and want nothing but for that dream to be their reality as well.
Topic: immigration

I come from a family who crossed the border, to give their family a better life. My grandparents had been living in Tijuana, Mexico at the time, my grandfather worked for the company 7UP and my grandmother was a housewife and mother of 4. My grandfather wasn’t making enough money to provide food or basic care necessities so he made the decision to leave towards the United States. Hoping and praying that there would be a better future waiting for his family on the other side. He had a travelers visa so he would leave to the United States and returned to Tijuana whenever it was possible. My grandfather worked in a Convalescent home in the kitchen for a few years during the day and worked at a Holiday Inn Hotel at night until he made enough money to bring his family over to the United States. If it wasn’ t for my grandfather’s decision, my cousins and I wouldn’t have the opportunities we have today and for that I am forever grateful.
Topic: immigration

In addition, when my family had crossed over, there were some hardships they had to go through. One of the hardships they had to go through was packing up all their belongings and leaving the only place they knew as home. The United States was their home now. They had to start from scratch, their world around them had changed completely. They had to become acquainted to different environments around them which included learning to speak English and learning to be accustomed the new culture. Nonetheless, the family was excited. The United States was the land of endless opportunities and they couldn’t wait until the day they were able to step on U.S. soil.
Topic: immigration

Since his election, President Donald Trump has cracked down hard on immigration. “His executive orders expanded the authority of immigration officers and are expected to increase the detention and deportation of undocumented immigrants” (Rahimi). ICE has made it very clear, that while, agents are looking for criminals, they will also rounding up any undocumented immigrants along the way. The agency even sent a series of tweets two weeks ago reminding young undocumented immigrants granted deportation protections under Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that they also could face deportation. As a result of this, innocent people from grandmas, teenagers, to fathers and mothers with no violent crimes in their background are being deported and separated from their loved ones. This is something they fear everyday of their lives. They have to go out into the real world and pray that they or that their loved ones won’t be gone when they get back. Children are getting separated from parents without even being able to say goodbye. “In April of last year, when her mother dropped by federal immigration headquarters in Manhattan to complete some paperwork, 8-year-old Virginia Feliz became part of a growing tribe of American children who have lost a parent to deportation. Her mother, Berly, 47, who migrated to the United States illegally a decade ago, went to the immigration office on a routine visit to renew her work authorization. But because an old deportation order had resurfaced, she was quickly clapped into handcuffs, and within hours placed on a plane to her native Honduras, unable to say goodbye to her husband and little girl”(Bernstein). As the Federal Government continues to separate families as part of the program, authorities state that parents are not supposed to deported without their children. Being separated from your family can be traumatic for the parents and children because they don’t know when they will ever be able to see each other again. Often times, undocumented parents who get deported don’t explain to their children what happened and why they aren’t with them anymore, to keep them from knowing the harsh reality of deportation. This increases the feeling of abandonment, loneliness and anger as the children try to find reasons as to why they were left behind. Virginia Feliz’s mother had done exactly that, and had told her daughter she had gone to Honduras to take care of a sick relative. Her daughter was angered and wanted answers as to why her mother left her. Still to this day, ICE is cold-heartedly ripping families apart without thinking about how this affects the children or the family.
Topic: immigration

With this being said, the U.S. can take a cheaper and better way of handling immigration. Such as the Family Case Management Program, started in January 2016, it allowed families seeking asylum to be released together and monitored by caseworkers while their immigration court case proceeded. The case managers would provide them with referrals for education, legal services and housing. They would also help them sort out court orders about when to show up for immigration court and ICE check-ins . Also emphasized the importance of showing up to all court hearings. The program was a success in the five metropolitan areas and cut government spending as well, “The pilot was implemented with around 700 families in five metropolitan areas, including New York and Los Angeles, and it was a huge success. About 99 percent of immigrants showed up for their hearings. It also did something Republicans love: It cut government spending. The program cost $36 per day per family, compared with the more than $900 a day it costs to lock up an immigrant parent with two children, said Katharina Obser, a policy adviser at the Women’s Refugee Commission” ( Nazario). Unfortunately, the program, that was supposed to last for five years; was canceled by the Trump Administration almost a year ago. Instead of separating families and spending thousands of dollars to keep undocumented immigrants in family detentions, bring back the program that was clearly a success and keeping families together.
Topic: immigration

In conclusion, if you take one thing from this essay, I hope it is that not all undocumented immigrants are criminals and rapists. They are innocent people looking for a better life for themselves and their loved ones. Now that doesn’t come to say that law and order doesn’t go hand and hand with humanity. There are laws that need to be followed but there are more humane, effective alternatives as opposed to Donald Trump’s policies. No human being should be treated less than just because they are from another country because the cold-hearted truth is, our graves will always be the same size.
Topic: immigration

There was a routine to it all: we knew that if you carefully played along you’d eventually be released, if not with your dignity, then at least with your skin” (Chariandy, 29). This quote proves that the police officers abuse their authority in the black community, looking upon all black men as potential suspects and treating them as such. Secondly, Michael and Francis are seen only as thieves and are misconceived by others due to their race.
Topic: immigration

Due to her unfortunate circumstances, she has to casually explain that she is “just window shopping” to over attentive salespeople. Secondly, the boys’ economic and ethnic status contribute to their slow realization that they can never fully feel a part of the community that they have grown up in. In the text, Michael explains, “One morning, I peered with Francis into a newspaper box to read a headline about the latest terror and caught in the glass the reflection of our own faces” (16).
Topic: immigration

In 2018, seventeen students and staff members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (MSD) were killed by a former student armed with an AR-15 rifle. Four days later, students of MSD began an activist movement known as Never Again with the goal for stricter background checks for gun buyers (Witt). Since then, #NeverAgain has emerged as a broader movement on social media for “genocidal remembrance and awareness” and “human and civil rights” (NeverAgain). A current overview of Twitter reveals that the #NeverAgain movement is now most concerned with various human rights issues such as the immigrant detention centers near the border of Mexico, as well as other general resistance to right-wing agendas that are sometimes labeled as fascist.
Topic: immigration

For instance, the activists of #NeverAgain, who are primarily young people, have used their saavy internet and media skills to be very interactively influential online and also to bring their cause out into the real world. While some may argue that Twitter-based movements are merely echo-chambers for people isolated from meaningful action, this view is contradicted by the #NeverAgain movement’s success in rallying meaningful protests and campaigns, which are still relevant today despite less of a Twitter presence.
Topic: immigration

There appears to be an immediate split between left groups such as the @TheDemCoalition as well as various politicians such as Senator Bob Menendez (#SenatorMenendez) on one side, and groups such as the National Rifle Association (NRA) and conservative politicians such as Marco Rubio on the other side. In the first weeks of #NeverAgain, the posts are overwhelmingly reflective of the agenda to enforce gun control, most from Illinois and Florida based Democratic groups. On March 1st, the #NeverAgain movement apparently won a decisive victory in that a number of legislations were passed limiting access to highly dangerous assault weapons, such as the HB1465 to ban bump stocks and HB 1467 which enforced a policy for a minimum age of 21 years for one to own an assault weapon. The most popular posts appearing for #NeverAgain gained wide popularity, with the political activist group @Quandrants4Chang receiving 4,800+ likes, 1,700 shares, and 136 comments on the post detailing the political victories mentioned above (Twitter).
Topic: immigration

By the end of 2018, #NeverAgain had dramatically expanded from its specialized focus on school shootings to encompass the wider frame on genocidal themes. On November 30th, 2018, Guy Verhofstradt, a Belgian politician and member of the European Parliament, posted a link on Twitter about how a full one-third of Europeans know very little or nothing about the Holocaust, and more than a quarter surveyed said Jews have too much influence in business and finance. Verhofstradt’s point is that modern Europeans and others should be well aware of the 20th century’s sad legacy of genocide so that we may “never again” repeat such appalling catastrophes. This post achieved similar levels of popularity as the most popular #NeverAgain from earlier in 2018 which were focused on the MSD school shootings and stricter gun control laws. In November 2018 there were some posts on Twitter related to gun control and school shootings, but the popularity of the wider genocide focus had greatly taken over #NeverAgain, likely due to the remembrance of Nazi actions taken in late November of 1941 (Twitter). However, on November 28th a woman, reportedly a mother of a five-year-old children, gained a lot of attention from her post about her son’s “code red” drill in school (Twitter). Interestingly, aside from these two posts, the #NeverAgain movement had lost its traction on Twitter during this time.
Topic: immigration

Jumping forward to May of 2019, #NeverAgain once more positions itself with the cause of gun control due to a Virginia Beach shooting, as seen by Representative Elijah E. Cummings’ post which gained 8,700 likes, about 2,000 shares, and over 400 comments. Another issue of relevance in late May was brought to light by Kingsley Moghalu, who posted a popular message about his memories of suffering in Biafra as a child during the war in the 1960s and 70s (Twitter). This post was issue was brought to the fore by Moghalu because of the memorial date of May 30th to remember the Biafra War. In the present time range, from June 2019 through to the end of July 2019, a look through Twitter’s #NeverAgain shows that the movement has morphed into a general trend resisting various forms of repression such as antisemitism and human rights violation such as the brutal conditions faced by undocumented migrants being held in detainment camps. Democratic Representative Steve Cohen has the most popular #NeverAgain post on Twitter for the month of July with a focus on comparing Trump’s administration to Hitler based on racism and xenophobia.
Topic: immigration

The analysis of the progression of #NeverAgain from 2018 to the present shows how an idea as the foundation of a movement can morph based on the context. The popularity of #NeverAgain posts change based on the present current events. When there has been a shooting, #NeverAgain reflects a widespread spirit for gun policies; when there is a memorialization date for a genocide or war, the #NeverAgain posts reflect remembering and supporting human rights initiatives. We can also note that the most popular posts are frequently made by politicians who are pushing certain agendas which are most often from the left of the political spectrum. In the U.S., this usually means a resistance against the Trump administration or conservative groups such as the NRA. Last, we can observe that #NeverAgain achieved a global popularity, with various European politicians using this hashtag to spread awareness of their causes.
Topic: immigration

The #NeverAgain movement on Twitter has received a lot of attention from popular web publications and political and media theorists. For instance, Nick Bilton writes for Vanity Fair that this movement has proven that the youth, primarily those in “generation Z,” have proven there is great promise in internet-based political work during the present and future to come. Bilton points out some of the most popular tweets of the online movement, such as Carly Novell, a 17-year-old student at M.S.D. who wrote a critical tweet of a Fox News host’s anti-gun limitation tweet and received almost 900,000 likes on Twitter. #NeverAgain has demonstrated the very responsive and influential power of social media as a means of rallying support and raising awareness. When we recognize that certain opinions and viewpoints are being seen and engaged with in the range of hundreds of thousands of times, then there is no doubt that political positions are being strengthened. As Bilton says, “the Parkland students have done an astounding job preventing the news cycle from forgetting about their tragedy.” Without a constant dialogue about a political issue, it tends to fall by the wayside, which prevents any movement to make meaningful changes. Through Twitter, the #NeverAgain activists have ensured that the world doesn’t forget about what happened, and also of the necessity for political change.
Topic: immigration

#NeverAgain has also been recognized as a victory for online mobilization of political action, which is important considering the possibility for internet activism to remain only on the screen rather than out in the real world. Critics of online activism call it “clicktivism” and insist that it is defined by “weak ties” rather than “strong ties,” which means that the connections and communications online are more superficial and hold less reliability than face-to-face relationships in the world. For instance, on Facebook, many people may say they will go to an event, but the commitment is based on weak ties. The #NeverAgain movement however immediately brought their protest into the world, as seen in “social-media campaigns urging people not to vote for politicians who take millions of dollars from the N.R.A.,” as well as in marches, protests, rallies and a presence on radio and news broadcasts (Bilton). One journalist says reading these activists’ on Twitter “has so far been a sheer masterclass in how to make change happen” (Tang). Indeed, there can be no doubt that the #NeverAgain activists have made a difference, as seen by how numerous major companies, under the pressure of the movement, severed their ties with the NRA (Tang). This list includes Delta, United, Hertz, Avis, Budget, and Met Life among several others (Tang). Further, the fact that so many politicians became involved directly in the Twitter conversation is also proof about the mainstream relevance of this movement.
Topic: immigration

From a more critical perspective, much of the above positive aspects of the #NeverAgain movement were strongest in the immediacy of the Parkland shooting event. As observed above regarding the shifting meanings of popular #NeverAgain posts, it appears that the movement has run out of steam, at least compared to its early days. However, even though this is true, that the movement receives far less attention today than it did in the weeks and first months of its founding, the movement has made substantial foundational work needed to maintain its effectiveness into the future. For instance, the protests have been seen as influential in helping Democrat Lucy McBath win a congressional victory in a Georgia district that had been Republican for decades (Meyer). David S. Meyer, author of The Politics of Protest: Social Movements in America, looks positively at the #NeverAgain movement, insisting that it reflects in some ways the Civil Right Movement longer preparatory work that was essential for the movement to be effective. Though Twitter has been the central hub of communication for this movement, there have also been great steps taken by #NeverAgain such as coalition building and showing up in the physical world (Meyer). The movement away from Twitter as the primary location of the movement to the real world can be seen as a sign of the movement’s success.
Topic: immigration

#NeverAgain demonstrates how a movement that is sourced online can be more than an isolated echo chamber for people who are stuck behind their screens. Indeed, the movement has, by its very nature, been very engaged from its beginning. For instance, the conversation has often included a dialogue between the #NeverAgain activists and opponents from conservative news sites or organizations like NRA. As discussed above, some of the most popular tweets came from direct responses to opponents. Therefore, the movement online has been more interactive rather than simply an echo chamber. Second, the presence of the movement in the world through protests, rallies, and campaigns to elect politicians or disempower groups like the NRA show that it is certainly not simply an isolated online arena where people are agreeing with each other. Rather, the #NeverAgain movement has raised millions of dollars, deeply affected the consciousness of the public, influenced certain elections, and have discredited the NRA and conservative positions that are aligned with harmful gun freedoms. The fact that the movement directly concerned young people by virtue of the crisis of school shootings has allowed a young generation of very media literate people to show the power that political engagement can have online. In the future it will be interesting to see how #NeverAgain evolves, and if it can maintain its presence and focus on gun issues while the movement’s label continues to be co-opted for other causes.
Topic: immigration

But before I get ahead of myself though, I’d like to start with my entrance into America. In 1890, I came into the Castle Garden Immigration Depot in Lower Manhattan. In front of me was a seemingly normal-looking man, but he was not allowed in. He was accused of being a so-called ‘invert’ and brought into another room. I did not see what happened to him, but I can only hope that he was allowed in. Luckily for me, I had no apparent health concerns, so I was allowed into New York City.