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Garen: Hello, Prof. Blum. We would like to know if there are any examples of nativism today?

Blum: Garen, yes, unfortunately there are many examples of nativism today. The nativism you studied is similar to what we see today. Some examples are the anti-immigrant sentiment expressed by Proposition 187 and some of the recent laws passed by Congress that are very detrimental to immigrants.

Garen: Thank you. What are the major reasons immigrants are being discriminated against these days?

Blum: Garen, I believe that the major reason for discrimination against immigrants is racism, because most immigrants to the U.S. now come from Latin America and Asia. Unfortunately, there are still many people in our society who cannot accept differences among all people who live here.

Teasha: Prof. Blum, are there many immigrants at UC Berkeley? How does cutting affirmative action affect that?

Blum: Yes Teasha, there are many immigrants at UC Berkeley. I am afraid that cutting affirmative action will affect the number of immigrants who can enroll here. Particularly immigrants from Latin and Central America.

Teasha: Thank you.

Raymond: Prof. Blum, when people are found to be here illegally, what are the steps that are taken to send them back to their home country? Do they have any alternatives or help? What does the organization you work for do to help them?

Blum: If they are here illegally, the Immigration Service has two main ways to send them back. First, sometimes they will let a person leave voluntarily. Second, some people will have hearings before immigration judges to decide if they must leave or can stay in the U.S. Depending upon each individual's situation, he or she may have an alternative to being removed from the United States. There are a number of groups, particularly in the Bay Area, that will help people in this situation. The Clinic at the Law School which I direct -- the International Human Rights Law Clinic -- helps people who are refugees.

Blum: Students, do you know who a refugee is? As you may remember, there are push factors that force people to leave their countries.

Bernadette: Refugees are people running away to another country for protection, because their lives are being put in dangerous situation.

Blum: Bernadette, that is a really excellent answer. In law, there is a very specific definition of a refugee, and unless a person meets the standards of that definition, they will not receive refugee status in the U.S. The law students and I work to help people to prepare applications for refugee status in the U.S. The definition is that a refugee must have a well-founded fear of persecution in his or her country because of race, religion, nationality, membership in a social group, or political opinion. Do you have questions about that definition?

Celina: No it's clear. Thank you.

Next page: Proposition 187; How Immigrants Help the U.S. Economy