POL 168 Study Guide for Final Exam
Please know the following:
Major Trends/Characteristics of Immigrant Population
Who are the “OTMs”
What is the approximate number of undocumented migrants in the country.
Approximately what fraction are “Special Interest” OTMs
How would you characterize media coverage on the immigration issue over the past 15
years or so?
What are the different ways the immigration has been framed by both the media and by
politicians and activists?
Understand the history of the border, dating back to the US-Mexican War.
What is the historical timeline of immigration and illegal immigration in the United
States?
Identify important governmental programs/policies involving immigration.
For example:
Quota Act of 1921
Immigration Act of 1924
Operation Wetback
Bracero Program
Chinese Exclusionary Act
Literacy Act
McCarren-Walter Act of 1952
Immigration Act of 1965
Prop. 187
Operation Gatekeeper
Operation Hold-the-Line
Who are the major “characters” in The Devil’s Highway?
Who were the Welton 26 and the Yuma 14? Where did they come from?
What are the different perspectives on the immigration issue? Think of this as the
positions taken by:
Tom Tancredo
Chris Simcox
Ranchers
Human Rights Activists
Please review your notes relating to the documentaries and film clips we viewed
(including Border Patrol recruitment video).
Example Multiple Choice Questions:
1. The McCarren-Walter Act can best be described as:
a. Establishing a fixed southern border between San Diego and Tijuana
b. Reinforced race-based national origins quota system established in the 1920s.
c. Prohibited Chinese immigration into the US
d. Established a “Mexican Open Door” policy.
2. The number of “special interest” OTM apprehensions can best be described as:
a. dramatically increasing since 2001.
b. dramatically decreasing after the creation of the Dept. of Homeland Security
c. extremely few in number compared to Latino OTM apprehensions.
d. rivaling Latino OTM apprehensions in terms of raw numbers.
3. What best characterizes the events that occurred at Bluebird Pass:
a. The Border Patrol deliberately intended to disperse the group.
b. Civil Homeland Defense operatives ambushed the group.
c. Mendez and the migrants claim they were disbursed by lights.
d. None of the above.
Example Short Answer:
1. The Devil’s Highway spends a great deal of time describing the organizational
structure and hierarchy of human smuggling operations. Please discuss the basic system
Urrea outlines in his book, making specific reference to individuals discussed in the
book.
2. Describe how US policy toward immigration relates to the events that unfolded in The
Devil’s Highway. Please be specific on federal policy and make specific reference to
events within the book.
3. Kevin Johnson makes a case for open borders using the EU as a template. Outline
Johnson’s specific arguments and then discuss the major differences between the EU
model and the current system in place in the United States.
4. What are the specific claims Johnson makes to defend his argument for open borders?
That is, on what grounds does his argument rest?
5. It was argued in class and in Johnson that the events of Sept. 11 helped propel the
immigration to the national stage. Why did this happen? What implications has this had
for how non-Latinos view immigration/Latinos?