Blackboard Jungle 10 Symposium
Cultivating Space for Learning in Turbulent Times
March 30 and March 31, 2017

DREAMers, Migrant Workers, and the Wall: U.S.-Mexico Relations

U.S.-Mexico relations have become increasingly tense in the last few decades. The Trump Administration has exacerbated these tensions, leaving the future of the relationship between the two neighboring nations unsettled. Policies around borderlands and immigration have complicated the relationship between both nations, and have also served to further marginalize an entire community.

Green card-holders, migrant workers, and undocumented people are among the various groups impacted by actions of this current administration. The geopolitical and social landscape influences the everyday lived experiences of this population. Undocumented students alone experience particular and persistence conundrums. Fear and concerns about physical safety are but two reasons why many students choose to keep their undocumented status a secret, never revealing their status or story to peers, school and college staff and even close friends. Their fears are rooted in a system that separates families, imprisons migrants without due process, and incites violence against those who are even perceived to be undocumented in this country. Navigating in the shadows is a reality for many of these immigrant families, yet doing so also comes with real consequences, negatively impacting individuals academically, socially and psychologically.

Panelists: Sarah M. Childs, Daniel Sanchez, Dr. Teresa Mares, Eloisa Romero and Rezwana Zafar

Host: Yolanda Jordan