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Nicolas Perez-Carreño
Second Year History and International Affairs Double Major and Latin American and Caribbean Studies Minor nrp54873@uga.edu Why IMPACT? Before starting my freshman year at UGA, I participated in a wonderful program called Dawg Camp where I got to have a peer leader, Manasa, who was actually a Site Leader for an IMPACT trip the upcoming year. She urged me to apply, and I unknowingly became a part of what would be one of the greatest experiences in modern history. The concept of service is much more complex than people tend to let it be. I learned not only about the community and the issues it faced, but how that affected other communities around the world, communities near me, and where I fit in the grand scheme of things. The program is so important for people to understand that social justice has to do with people’s lives, not the politicization of human rights. Why Immigration Awareness: I am a son of immigrants, so immigration has always been a central topic in my life and has affected the way I grew up. However, I didn’t grow up with farm-working parents, and that intersection of identities brings an entirely new experience that I have grown up with but that is just as valid and just as important. Farmworking immigrants experience a plethora of issues dealing with class, color of their skin, gender, sexual orientation, etc. while also dealing with the major issues surrounding their immigration status. Controversial news continues to dehumanize this community that has a strong holding in Immokalee, FL, where I believe participants can learn from the experiences of these people that the struggles are real and not just pawns for some game. I’m ecstatic to learn more about this complex community. Fun Fact: I once accidentally saw the Pope from ten feet away! |
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Prabhjot Minhas
Fourth Year Genetics and Anthropology Double Major and Disaster Management Minor pkminhas@uga.edu Why IMPACT? I got involved with IMPACT during my freshman year at the urging of my older sister. She told me that one her biggest regrets was not going on an IMPACT trip while at UGA and that I would love it. I did! After going on two IMPACT trips as a participant (Affordable Housing and Homelessness & Poverty), I became a site leader and led a trip to Nashville, TN, focusing on community health and wellbeing. Throughout the years, IMPACT has taught me that it is possible to enact meaningful change in a community and within yourself in a short amount of time. As a site leader, I hope to inspire participants to serve and grow, both on the trips and in Athens/their own communities upon returning from the trip. Why Immigration Awareness: During my freshman year at UGA, I joined Refugee Outreach at UGA. Through the club, I explored migrant issues and worked with Karen and Karenni refugees and Hispanic migrants, discovering that one of my passions is working with immigrant communities. Over the years, I have become well-versed in refugee issues, but I wanted to learn more about immigration and farmworker justice in the U.S. In the current political climate, immigration is an incredibly relevant and controversial issue, affecting lives all over the country and world. With such a complex trip focus, I know I have a lot to learn, and I hope to explore all sides of the issue throughout the year and on the trip. My ultimate goal for the trip is to dispel any myths and misconceptions we may have about immigration and to humanize the issue. I think one of the best ways to learn about a topic is to meet and connect with affected communities, and Immokalee, FL, the trip location, has a rich history of farmworker justice. I am excited to learn and grow with our participants through our engagement in the area. Fun fact: I’m Canadian and American! |
What is Farmworker Justice?
“Movement to empower workers and improve their living and working conditions, immigration status, health, occupational safety, and access to justice.”
Key Terms:
Alien
U.S Immigration By the Numbers:
Geography and Distribution of Immigrants in the U.S.:
Immigration and Farmworker Justice:
Immigration in Georgia:
Check out these links!
Alien
- An alien is a resident of the United States that does not identify as a citizen or holds an American nationality. To outsiders of the United States, these people are known as “Foreign Nationals”.
- Braceros was a program created in 1942 that brought immigrants from Mexico to work in agricultural fields. It ended in 1964 but brought over 3 million Mexicans.
- Removal of a non-citizen from the United States. They are barred from returning at all for a certain period of time.
- An undocumented immigrant caught by the government and held in detention centers while their ruling about potential expulsion is made.
- As defined by the UN Convention on the Rights of Farmworkers, these are migrants who participate in labor in a country that they are not considered a national.
- An immigrant who has been granted U.S. citizenship.
- Any foreign-born resident in the United States who does not hold legal immigration status. If apprehended, they have a risk of being placed in detention centers and eventually deported. Sometimes, derogatory terms such as "illegal" are used to describe these people.
- Facility where undocumented immigrants are held when apprehended while a decision is made about potential removal from the country.
- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, otherwise known as DACA, is a program that started in 2012 as a result of an executive order made President Barack Obama. The program provided opportunities for people who entered the United States before the age of 16 and have resided in the United States since at least 2010. They also have to pass a rigorous screening to make sure they have never been convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor. In September 2017, President Donald Trump attempted to remove the program. At least up to September 2018, after combatting a series of judges, the DACA program takes no more new applicants, but will allow DACA recipients to re-apply for the time being.
- Otherwise known as the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE “enforces federal laws” surrounding the border along with trade and immigration promoting an idea of public safety.
- A term in Spanish used to describe immigration officers who deport undocumented immigrants.
U.S Immigration By the Numbers:
- Today, immigrants comprise about 13.4% of the U.S. population, compared to on 4.7% of the population in 1970.
- In 2015, the foreign-born population in the U.S. hit record numbers – 43.2 million
- A total of 54,000 refugees were admitted to the U.S. in 2017
- According to the Department of Homeland Security, about 12.1 million unauthorized immigrants were living in the United States in January 2014. Of that population, greater than 75 percent resided in the U.S. for more than 10 years.
- Most immigrants, about 76%, are in the country legally, while about 24% are unauthorized.
- In 2015, 44% of immigrants were naturalized U.S. citizens.
- 703,000 aliens were naturalized in 2017
Geography and Distribution of Immigrants in the U.S.:
- In 2015, immigrants from Mexico accounted for 27% of all U.S. immigrants. The next largest immigrant groups were from China (6%), India (6%), the Philippines (5%) and El Salvador (3%).
- Since 2010, more Asian immigrants than Hispanic immigrants have arrived in the U.S. each year.
- According to the Pew Research Center, by 2055 Asian immigrants are expected to be the largest U.S. immigrant population.
- By 2065, the estimated immigrant population distributions are expected to be Asians 38%, Hispanics 31%, whites 20% and blacks 9%.
- About 46% of the 43.2 million immigrants live in three states: California (25%), Texas (11%) and New York (10%).
Immigration and Farmworker Justice:
- There are about 2 million farmworkers work on farms and ranches in the U.S.
- There are an estimated 4.5 million farmworkers and family members (spouses and children) in the U.S.
- Many farmworkers are immigrants and under current laws nearly 48% lack authorized immigration status.
- According to the 2011-2012 Department of Labor’s National Agricultural Workers Survey:
- Foreign-born workers make up 71% of the workforce
- United States citizens make up 33% of the workforce
- Legal permanent residents make up 18% of the workforce
- Literacy and education tend to be limited among farmworkers. There is a 7thgrade formal education among farmworkers, on average.
- About 1/3 of farmworkers work in California.
- About 17% of farmworkers are migrants, meaning they “travel a significant distance from a home base to find work at one or more agricultural employers."
Immigration in Georgia:
Check out these links!
Educational Resources
In order to better understand some background and important concepts surrounding immigration and farmworker justice, we have included links to the following resources and educational materials. We hope these will give more insight into ideas and issues surrounding our trip focus.
Book
Enrique’s Journey
A must-read book recounting the “unforgettable quest of a Honduran boy looking for his mother, eleven years after she is forced to leave her starving family to find work in the United States.”
http://enriquesjourney.com
Articles
An amazing article examining the tomato, the South, and migrant farm workers in Immokalee.
https://bittersoutherner.com/a-hunger-for-tomatoes-shane-mitchell
A great article looking into how the media portrays illegal immigration and how this does not match reality.
https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/03/08/517561046/how-americas-idea-of-illegal-immigration-doesnt-always-match-reality
With midterms coming up, this article focuses on how the political parties are handling the immigration debate.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/andyjsemotiuk/2018/10/14/immigration-debate-heats-up-as-midterm-elections-approach/#6abb103f59c6
Podcast
Give this podcast a try when you’ve got a long drive or a spare hour!
https://www.thisamericanlife.org/656/let-me-count-the-ways
This podcast focuses on what undocumented farmworkers experience after a storm!
https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/09/01/642656221/after-the-wildfires-artist-captures-plight-of-napas-undocumented-workers
Video
The Buzzfeed Try Guys explore the immigration system and help show how difficult the immigration system and process can be to navigate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-eLrAw-gGc
Enrique’s Journey
A must-read book recounting the “unforgettable quest of a Honduran boy looking for his mother, eleven years after she is forced to leave her starving family to find work in the United States.”
http://enriquesjourney.com
Articles
An amazing article examining the tomato, the South, and migrant farm workers in Immokalee.
https://bittersoutherner.com/a-hunger-for-tomatoes-shane-mitchell
A great article looking into how the media portrays illegal immigration and how this does not match reality.
https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/03/08/517561046/how-americas-idea-of-illegal-immigration-doesnt-always-match-reality
With midterms coming up, this article focuses on how the political parties are handling the immigration debate.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/andyjsemotiuk/2018/10/14/immigration-debate-heats-up-as-midterm-elections-approach/#6abb103f59c6
Podcast
Give this podcast a try when you’ve got a long drive or a spare hour!
https://www.thisamericanlife.org/656/let-me-count-the-ways
This podcast focuses on what undocumented farmworkers experience after a storm!
https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/09/01/642656221/after-the-wildfires-artist-captures-plight-of-napas-undocumented-workers
Video
The Buzzfeed Try Guys explore the immigration system and help show how difficult the immigration system and process can be to navigate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-eLrAw-gGc
Intersectionality of the Issue
Race/Ethnicity/National Origin:
- Population of Immokalee:
- 73.7% Hispanic, 20% Black, and 4.86% White
- 63.9% are U.S. citizens.
- 45.4% of pop is foreign born
- Estimated that at least 6 out of 10 of our country’s farm workers are undocumented
- The vast majority of workers–78%, according to the most recent National Agricultural Workers Survey– is foreign-born and crossed a border to get here
- Immigrants today account for 13.4% of the U.S. population, nearly triple the share (4.7%) in 1970
- In 2015, 11.6 million immigrants living in the U.S. were from Mexico, accounting for 27% of all U.S. immigrants. The next largest origin groups were those from China (6%), India (6%), the Philippines (5%) and El Salvador (3%).
- Because of a Latin American cultural negligence towards the LGBTQ+ community, there is an erasure of their own intersectional struggles as farmworkers as well.
- Transgender Farmworkers struggle with finding the appropriate hormones to make the transition to affirm their gender identity and will sometimes search through the black market for similar medications and often be at higher risk of negative health outcomes.
- In Immokalee, there is no program that provides assistance specifically to the community. In California, however, there is a program called Proyecto Poderoso that provides education for the community and legal help for the community in order to humanize them in their own community.
- Farmworkers in general often have difficulty finding healthcare and it is worse for this community. Many aren’t “out” for their own safety, often leaving out information about their sexual history when seeing a doctor and increasing the risk for HIV/STD’s and not allowing for treatment.
- 90% of farmworking women have claimed to have experienced sexual harassment in the fields, but due to a misunderstanding of how laws work, they do not know that the harassment is against the law.
- Language and cultural barriers also prevent them from reporting incidents of sexual harassment.
- Historically, when women reported these incidents, most ended up losing their job rather than having anything done about it.
- With #TIMESUP, many farmworker unions have taken a stance on fighting for women and spreading awareness of their rights.
Sources
- http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/05/03/key-findings-about-u-s-immigrants/
- https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/reports/2017/04/20/430736/facts-immigration-today-2017-edition/
- https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/Unauthorized%20Immigrant%20Population%20Estimates%20in%20the%20US%20January%202014_1.pdf
- https://www.dhs.gov/immigration-statistics
- http://nfwm.org/resources/farm-workers-immigration/
- https://www.farmworkerjustice.org/about/who-we-serve
- https://libraries.ucsd.edu/farmworkermovement/essays/glossary.shtml
- https://www.ice.gov/about
- https://www.freedomforimmigrants.org/terminology/
- https://www.npr.org/2017/11/05/562188700/sexual-assault-and-farmworkers
- https://www.aclu.org/other/amparo-defending-rights-women-farmworkers
- http://nfwm.org/education-center/farm-worker-issues/farm-workers-immigration/
- https://datausa.io/profile/geo/immokalee-fl/
