From Sore to Soar

Immigration

“My fellow Americans, we are and always will be a nation of immigrants. We were strangers once too.” - Barack Obama

A behavior analytic perspective: All children have a right to equal access education regardless of a parent’s immigration status. Immigration includes naturalized citizens, refugees, asylum seekers, those on visa, and those that are undocumented. School Psychologists should seek to understand stressors that many impact immigrants and their families. This includes the parent-child citizen status, the country of origin perspectives, family separation, family life events, religious practices, effects of ethnic discrimination, development of an ethnic identity, immigrants viewed as invaders or allies, cultural transition, language barriers, second language acquisition, inability to advocate for educational needs, mental and behavioral health. Education specialists should seek to understand cultural incongruence between teachers and immigrant families, parent perspective on literacy, learning and homework, early education acquisition, special education needs, resources, and development of toleracnce repspect for immigration diversity. These factors should all be noted to predict school outcomes (Frisby, C.L & Jimerson, 2016).

Lifelines, Helplines & Hotlines

Supportive Advosources

  • Canal Alliance

    • Website: https://canalalliance.org

    • Description: Offers social justice immigration legal services, education and career programs, and social services to help Latino immigrants and their families overcome the barriers to success.

  • Girl Forward

    • Website: https://www.girlforward.org

    • Description: A mentoring program, education program, and safe space program in Chicago and Austin for Girls ages 14-21, in grades 9-12 who identify as refugees, immigrants, and asylum seekers

  • Open door NYNJ

    • Website: http://www.theopendoornjny.org

    • Description: Immigrant families get support through weekly English, TASC, and computer classes as well as community-building activities

  • Immigrant Legal Resource Center

    • Website: https://www.ilrc.org/

    • Description: Provides advocacy and immigrant civic engagement in order to educate immigrants, community organizations, and the legal sector building a democratic society that values diversity and the rights of all people, including training, technical assistance, and education materials.

  • Immigration Direct:

  • National Immigration Law Center

    • Website: https://www.nilc.org

    • Description: Defends and advances the rights of immigrants with low income. Information on DACA, Health Care, Immigration Enforcement, Worker’s Rights, and more

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References:

Frisby, C.L., Jimerson, R. S., (2016). Understanding Immigrants, Schooling, and School Psychology: Contemporary Science and Practice. School Psychology Quarterly. 31 (2). 141-148.