Lewis & Clark students bringing immigration policy to life

A very interesting project these students are involved in. They are learning about the immigration process by studying a small group of Mexicans that has immigrated to Oregon. DP

Students document a Mexican migration experience

By Jodi Heinz, Director of Public Relations

collegenews.com: PORTLAND, Ore. -- While thousands of college students will spend their spring break at the beach, a group of students taking an immigration history course, U.S.-Mexico Borderlands, will be exploring the migration route between the two countries, documenting Oaxacan immigration to Oregon.

The alternative spring break project, from March 22 to March 29, is the brainchild of Associate Professor of History and Borderlands teacher Elliott Young, a transnational historian of the Americas, specializing in race and national identity. The trip is designed to bring U.S. immigration policy and history of the U.S.-Mexico border to life.

In the last 20 years, immigration of indigenous Oaxacans to Oregon has grown exponentially, and yet very little is known about how these trans-border communities function. Rather than the classic model of immigrants leaving behind their home countries and assimilating into the United States, Oaxacans maintain strong ties to their home communities, sending money, and returning to fulfill political posts in their villages.

“This is not only about studying a relatively small group of Mexican migrants," Young said. "Understanding the way these transnational communities function is key to understanding our increasingly globalized world."

For Young’s students, recognizing the complexities of these immigration patterns not only enriches their classroom experience, it prepares them to be better global citizens and leaders by providing the level of understanding that will be critical to developing effective policies at the local, state and national level.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.