Inspiring Leadership in Immigrant Communities - ILRC

Inspiring Leadership in Immigrant CommunitiesJanuary 2003Appendix 7-BExercise: Community MeetingFacts For Persons Role-Playing the INS Border Patrol NegotiatorsInstructionsRead these facts. Each participant will be assigned a role in this exercise. You will be given 30minutes to prepare for a meeting with community members who are upset about someenforcement activity around an elementary school. Number of participants for Border Patrol: 1-31. Come up with an overall strategy of what you want out of this meeting. What is yourbottom line? Will you offer anything to the community? Are you going to believe theirside of the story? If so, will you admit it or try to minimize it?2. Make a plan for who will cover which issues in the meeting.3. Each of you needs to plan a 2- to 3-minute statement for the meeting.BackgroundThe Border Patrol has been stopping and questioning people on street corners near schools inSan Jose, Calif., for the last four weeks. You know that community members have complainedthat the Border Patrol picked up several undocumented children on their way home from school.You know that both parents and school administrators are upset and will be at the meeting. Youalso know that undocumented people have constitutional rights, but they are here illegally andcan be placed in deportation proceedings. You realize that stopping children on their way toschool could present some public relations problems for the INS and you do not want the pressinvolved in this because it could present an embarrassing situation to your office.Main Role• John (or Jane) Beasley, head of the Border Patrol. You want to try to take the positionthat the questioning was “legal” and “by the book,” but you don’t really know much lawon it or care a lot about the law. You are actually concerned about the image of theBorder Patrol, although you try to hide it at first. You like for people to “like” you. Youreally think you are doing your job by detaining children without legal status, but figureas a practical matter, it may not be worth a big controversy. You won’t promise never tostop children, but you might consider staying away from the few blocks around schools ifthe community members directly ask for a policy concession.Optional Roles (only if you need more roles)• Miranda White, General Counsel (attorney) for the Border Patrol. You are the legalperson. You believe that these stops of children were “legal.” You personally don’t likethe idea of stopping these detentions, since you believe they are legal. Since Mr. or Ms.Beasley is your boss, you will go along with his positions in the end. Also, you canApp.7-B-1