USA
Mexico
The U.S. border fence near EL PASO.
© BenB4 2007 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:USMexico_border_fence.jpg
A tale of illegal immigration
© www.teachitgeography.co.uk 2012
The illegal immigrant population of the United States in 2008 was
estimated by the ‘Center for Immigration Studies’ to be about 11
million people.
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Mexico to the USA
In 2011 327,577 people were
apprehended by the US
Border Patrol trying to cross
illegally from Mexico into the
USA.
A US Border Patrol
agent does a pat down
of a female Mexican
being returned to
Mexico.
http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgo
v/border_security/border_patrol/u
sbp_statistics/60_10_app_stats.ctt/
60_11_app_stats.pdf
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/
newsroom/multimedia/phot
o_gallery/afc/bp/27.xml
Why do people try to cross the border illegally?
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Two sides of the same fence
© Gordon Hyde
2010
http://en.wikiped
ia.org/wiki/Mexic
o%E2%80%93Un
ited_States_bor
der
Tijuana in Mexico
Tijuana in Mexico
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnnr/4861773275/
© Casey Renner 2004
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:USMexico_barrier_at_Tijuana_pedestrian_border_crossing.jpg
© Tosave 2006
What are the push factors?
The border fence near San Diego with Mexico to the right and the
USA to the left.
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What are the pull factors?
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Creative Writing
In 2006 more than 1,000,000 people were caught by
the United States Border Patrol trying to cross the
border. Many of these were repeat offenders. The
number has declined since then but was still 327,577 in
2011.
You are now to begin a piece of creative writing about
migration from Mexico to the USA.
Imagine that you are one of the many Mexicans
desperate to get into the USA, bearing in mind the
numerous push and pull factors.
What would make you risk a crossing?
What do you think most American’s
think of the ‘illegal aliens’ or ‘pollos’ as
they are called?
You cannot cross the border legally; you must sneak
across.
You are to produce a piece of writing telling the story
of how you managed to cross the border (or not!)
Why are some people glad to see the
illegal immigrants?
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© www.teachitgeography.co.uk 2012
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•
use the past tense
write from a first person viewpoint (i.e. “I”)
write in chronological order (i.e. in time order)
opening paragraph: describe your situation, your feelings and
your plans
2nd paragraph: the start of your journey, perhaps mentioning the
push factors
3rd paragraph: your journey over the border, still mentioning
push but also pull factors
use adjectives to project the mood and describe your feelings
include lots of your feelings; how would you feel if you got
caught?
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Try to include:
How to write creatively…
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• Details of the push factors that are making you want to
move. Think about money, housing, crime, lack of
employment opportunities, natural hazards (earthquakes),
transport systems.
• What was attracting you towards the USA (pull factors)?
• How you travelled over or under the border?
• Any danger you experienced along the way; did you meet
the border patrols, did you pay a ‘coyote’ to help?
• What you did if you managed to cross the border?
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Possible formats
Mexico to the USA
• a diary
• This activity based presentation is aimed at
KS3 pupils though it could be used with lower
ability KS4 learners.
• a statement to the border patrol, or in a court
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• It look at the push and pull factors involved in
cross border migration from Mexico to the
USA and includes some key questions for
pupils to answer.
• a letter home
• an e-mail home
• a poem
• The main focus is to provide stimulus for
creative writing based around the decision to
migrate. Pupils are aided by a structured
approach.
• a phone conversation
• a text
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