Content warning: Teachers, please preview. This story contains images of aggressive actions by federal immigration agents.
NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think about? What would you want to learn more about?
SUMMARY
President Donald Trump and his team are doubling down on efforts to bring the National Guard into Democrat-run cities and to ramp up ICE enforcement. The administration argues that episodes of violence against federal agents constitute a danger. Governors and mayors say local police can handle any issues and argue it's an unconstitutional power play by Trump. William Brangham reports.
View the transcript of the story.
News alternative: Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- Who was Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez? Who is Corina Pedraza?
- What is ICE? What did the ICE raid consist of in Chicago, according to Lawrence Benito of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights?
- Where (cities) does President Trump want the National Guard to patrol?
- When did ICE agents appear to shoot a protesting Presbyterian minister in the head with a pepper ball, according to William Brangham? What was ICE's reasoning?
- Why does President Trump say he needs to send in the National Guard to American cities?
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
- Do you think ICE's aggressive tactics are primarily about immigration enforcement, or do you think the administration has other motives? Explain.
- What other enforcement measures could the Department of Homeland Security use instead of the aggressive approaches that members of the public, including American citizens have experienced?
Media literacy: What are some media literacy strategies you can use when you read conflicting views of the facts, including the example of the Chicago raid and children being zip-tied? Who else would you like to hear from in this story?
WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO
Learn more about Trump's authority to deploy the National Guard by reading this article:
Credit: Screenshot PBS News Hour
Sign up to receive our weekly newsletter with Daily News Lessons and community events.
To provide feedback on News Hour Classroom's resources, including this lesson, click here.
