Crossing Over: Immigration

I. Work in small groups of students. Prepare a list with 5 advantages and 5 disadvantages of immigration.

II. Share your list with the rest of the class and check if you had the same ideas.

III. Work in pairs now. Give each student a card with different questions for them to interview each other. Student 1:

1. Is immigration good or bad? Why?

2. Was immigration successful in Brazil (your country)? Explain it.

3. Would you like to live in or move to another country? Why?

4. Do you think illegal immigration is a serious problem in Brazil (your country)? Justify it.


Student 2:

1. How different would the world be if there were not any rules to regulate immigration?

2. What would you do if you knew that your neighbor is an illegal immigrant? Justify it?

3. In your opinion, which country has the greatest control of immigration? Is it fair? Why (not)?

4. Is immigration a serious problem where you live? Give examples.



IV. Match the vocabulary and the definitions:

1. Alien

2. Deport

3. Detainee

4. Emigré

5. Immigrate

6. Nativism

7. Naturalization

8. Refugee

( ) A person who is not a citizen of the country where he or she resides. He or She can be in the country legally or illegally.

( ) An alien in the custody of the government temporarily.

( ) A person forced to emigrate for political reasons.

( ) To force someone out of the country.

( ) To enter a country for the purpose of living there

( ) The process whereby an immigrant becomes a national citizen.

( ) A person who leaves his land because of persecution or danger.

( ) A policy of favoring those born in America over immigrants.

 Key - 1, 3, 4, 2, 5, 7, 8, 6


V. Watch the segment now and answer the questions:

1. What happened in the scene? Why were the factory workers so desperate? What were they afraid of?




2. Do you think the Mexican lady was telling the truth about her children? What makes you believe that?




3. Is it fair that the police break into a factory to look for illegal immigrants? Why?




4. What should the government do with those illegal employees that were arrested there?




5. What do you think will actually happen to them?




6. What about the Mexican young woman? And her children?