This  week we will review the policies and laws surrounding immigration and  the impact on family. This is not about your individual beliefs but  instead an analysis of policy and law.  

The  purpose of a case study is to glean lessons that shed light on your  central problem and locate strategies or best practices towards  recommendations that resolve key problems. Although case studies can be  success stories or failures, they always address key areas that you will  usually research further through other primary and secondary data. 

This  week’s forum will allow students to discuss this topic in a scholarly,  practical, applied context. The goal is intended to improve your ability  to think about a complex scenario and develop concise analyses of the  situation. We will not arrive at right answers. Rather, there are many  possible answers, each with its advantages and disadvantages, and about  which reasonable people may disagree. 

1. Watch “Immigration Battle,” a documentary on the politics of immigration reform from PBS Frontline. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/immigration-battle/ 
2. What,  broadly, are the lessons learned from this case and what types of  information apply to the motivating problem or questions? What central  issue does the case raise? (2)  Does the case study offer a theory or  overarching lesson? Does the case serve strategic as well as substantive  goals? 
3. Is  the case about something fundamentally controversial or one that shows a  path through difficult tradeoffs? Does the case offer solutions to  tough problems? Alternatively, does it show a failure to address such  problems? 
4. What are the decision points in the case? Excavate the points of controversy and highlight the decisions that ensued. 
5. What problems in each option must the central players resolve?
6. Offer  a conclusion to this case that highlights lessons learned, applying  those lessons specifically to the themes at stake in your own problem or  projected solutions. 
7. Is  there supporting data that points to best practices that you can build  into your recommendations? What are some immediate action steps for  addressing this issue in the context of your goals. 

Prepare  an analysis of this reform/policy issue. Provide the questions posed  here and answers generated through your review of the resources  available in the course as well as additional outside research. Ensure  that you are citing the information retrieved from your cited sources of  information.