Teaching Immigration Through Digital Storytelling


The current political climate has brought immigration issues to the forefront of public discourse. It is more important than ever that students have a thorough understanding of the laws and policies that govern immigration in the United States and how they impact migrant communities and the world. Common narratives about immigrants tend to dehumanize these groups, including over 20 million students in American schools face daily challenges related to

immigration laws (Jefferies 2014; Connor 2021). Through the Leave No One Behind Mural project (LNOBM) the need for creative methods, such as storytelling and art, became notable. The conversations need to position immigrants themselves as most equipped to discuss immigration phenomena. Doing so, will lead to greater empathy, greater understanding, and ethical policymaking. 


We are responding to the need to change the way we think about immigration knowledge. The Leave No One Behind Mural project brings together over [insert # of stories]. We have repackaged these stories in the Teaching Immigration Through Digital Storytelling guide. The guide is organized into four units and is equipped with an introductory guide and a supplementary appendix. Each unit is composed of four lessons that centers 1-3 storytellers. 


The project will be uploaded in the Spring ‘27. For inquiries please email Teaching Immigration Through Digital Storytelling <teachingimmigrationproject@gmail.com>. This effort was generously funded by the American Political Science Association’s Centennial Fund. 


Introductory Section

  • L1: What is immigrant storytelling 

  • L2: Community Guidelines for Safe and Inclusive Learning

  • L3: Responding to Student Needs and Safe Learning with Digital Storytelling Tools

  • L4: Opportunities for Mentorship

Unit 1 Contemporary US Immigration Law

  • L1: Basics of the US immigration system

  • L2:  Globalization & the exploitation of immigrant Labor 

  • L3: Process of deportation, removal, and rights of immigrants.

  • L4: Special topics on criminal and immigration law 

  • L5: Contemporary controversies and challenges in the field of immigration enforcement

Unit 2 Latinx Noncitizens in the United States

  • L1: Experiences of Legal Permanent Residents (LPRs) with the criminal system

  • L2: US childhood arrivals coming-of-age experiences 

  • L3: The future of “DREAMers” 

  • L4: Experiences of mixed-status families 

Unit 3 The Aftermath of Deportation from the United States

  • L1: The Deportation of immigrants and aftermath of deportation

  • L2: Detention and deportation 

  • L3: Family separation and the hemispheric family 

  • L4: The Diversity of US Deported US Military Veteran

Unit 4: Borders Around the World

  • L1: NonHuman Life at the Border, Climate Change and the Right to Not Migrate 

  • L2: Migrant Deaths at the Border 

  • L3:  Marine Border: The Mona Passage and the Mona Island (Liz)

  • L4: Palestine

Supplementary Appendix

  • Topic: Debunking Immigration Myths 

  • Music and Corrido Forms

  • Know Your Rights

Contact our email: teachingimmigrationproject@gmail.com