Immigration and Social Justice from a Macro Social Work Perspective Immigration and Social Justice/Macro Social Work

Tenets of Just Practice Framework in regards to the film Wetback and the Catholic Safe House worker's perspective

The Just Practice Framework is a structure and context of social work that is centered on five tenets which are power, possibility, context, meaning and power. These five canons encompass five questions. First off, in what manner do the relations and structure form and outline the lives of people and the practice of social work? Secondly, in what way do we give meaning to the familiarities and circumstances that form our lives? Thirdly, in what context do these circumstances and familiarities take place? Lastly, in what manner may a past perspective assist us understand the ways in which struggles over meaning and power have turned out to be, and better value the human significances of those struggles? We shall closely look into each of these tenets with regards to Wetback Documentary.

These five tenets of Just Practice Framework will be investigated in the documentary film Wetback and then the theory and practice will be linked through the action of the one of the administrators of a Catholic Safe House through seven core processes. These processes will be engagement, teaching/learning, action, accompaniment, evaluation, critical reflection and lastly celebration.

1.

Meaning: How do individuals give meaning to the experiences and circumstances that outline their lives?

Each person perceives things in their own individual way when giving meaning to an aspect that they realize or listen to. This is every so often inclined by the manner in which they have been individually impacted at a point in time within their lives. Meaning carries consideration to explanatory or revealing developments and to the partial and individual nature of our comprehension and awareness of the social realm. There are numerous aspects that influence the meaning within our lives and hand us the capacity to distinguish dissimilarity. This may consist of beliefs, race, dwelling, gender, status, and sexual alignment (Finn and Jacobson, 2008). In as much as there is the possibility for interpretation, there is also the chance for misinterpretation. Therefore, the search for meaning necessitates a practice of emptying and scrutinizing or observing one's position for both the client as well as the social worker.

As the administrator of a Catholic safe house, I am stimulated and heartened to revisit and separate my own position prior to giving meaning to the immigrants who cross several miles through the desert and try to swim through the Rio Grande. It is important for me to make an attempt to comprehend how these immigrants make sense of their world as I make comparisons to the meanings of my own. I have not experienced poverty or gone through any form of oppression and therefore it would be difficult to make comparisons of suppositions and judgments. In order to have an understanding and significance as to why more and more immigrants are willing to go through such tortuous experiences, I would have to experience such poverty that these immigrants go through and the great desire to obtain the American dream.

2.

Context: In what context do these circumstances and familiarities take place?

According to Fin and Jacobson (2008), context can be described as the setting and set of circumstances as well as situations that encompass and impact certain conditions and state of affairs. Context permits us to perceive further than the palpable or apparent and perceive aspects that may perhaps be overlooked. The lives of the immigrants emanating from Central American can be considered to be a roller-coaster. It appears that their lives in their resident areas are filled with issues that do not come to a halt. Within social work practice, it is apparent that the intertwined and interlinked contexts that bring this about are social, communal, economic and sociopolitical. By taking a look at their background as well as their circumstances, I am able to have a stronger and clearer understanding of what impacts and ways these proceedings and circumstances in their lives. From the time of their youth, these immigrants can be deemed to be products of the social and economic of individuals who have gone through a poor system. Their sense of belonging is not a place that one would want to belong. Difficulties and problems such as high levels of unemployment, poverty, starvation...

The reflection of the vast path that results in the border adjacent to the United States makes it apparent that this border is simply the recent in a sequence of impediments and hurdles that these individuals opt to go through in order to move away from despair. This whole process is recurrent and the individuals still continue to go through these experiences so as to have a better future and life compared to the one that they can have at their home. Despite witnessing the deaths of their fellow friends through falling off tracks and being run over by trains, being eaten alive by animals in the wild, starving to death and drowning while trying to cross Rio Grande, these individuals still endeavor to live the American Dream and living in Canada as well.
3.

Power: In what manner may a past perspective assist us understand the ways in which struggles over meaning and power have turned out to be, and better value the human significances of those struggles?

Power can be classified into different forms. According to Finn (2008), there is "power over, power from within, power with and power to do." This is evident when considering the aspect of power encompassing the lives of the immigrants. As an administrator of a Catholic safe house, I have the perspective that the immigrants experience power over them not just internally but externally as well as they feel oppression on all aspects. For instance, internally, the immigrants feel that they have nothing more to live for as they constantly live in despair. They feel that they would rather die attempting to reach the United States rather than be alive and continue living in Central America. On the other hand, externally, the immigrants feel that poverty, starvation and lack of opportunities have power over them as they consider it not living when they reside in Central America. These powers have caused the immigrants to feel powerless in their circumstance. They deem it to be far big and large for them to fight for the reason that they have no kind of direct control over it. It is particularly due to these power emotions that cause the immigrants to choose to starve, risk being eaten alive, risk drowning or even being run over by trains for the hope of getting to America which they feel they can experience the American dream and have power over their lives.

Power in the engagement process

Being an individual in a position or status, that of an administrator, I have to be mindful and cognizant as to exactly how my role as a social worker or being part of a Catholic safe house might indicate or signify power to the immigrants. Already being oppressed by individuals in positions of power, the immigrants are already terrified because of the conclusions they have made up in their mind. The immigrants have been oppressed, beaten up, abused, raped and taken back to where they have come from. The immigrant would have a sense of comfort-ability for the reason that at the back of his or her mind he or she perceives my power as an administrator as an intimidation that brings back a lot of feelings of fear, hurt and fright. In as much as I perhaps would not have done anything, it is imperative for me to consider their feelings and decompose the power so that I have the capacity to engage with him or her. Sequentially, this might help the immigrants in having an experience and awareness of other kinds of power in the forthcoming periods. Thus, it is important that I create a connection or association with the immigrant right from the start. As time unfolds, it is imperative to demonstrate to the immigrant that power and spirit are options. The immigrants need to be heartened and invigorated that they can exist through these experiences and come to the realization that death is not a better option and that life can indeed be better. It is imperative that being an administrator, I have to aid the immigrants to make decisions that will impact them in a positive manner.

4.

History: What is historically possible and to move beyond the past and the present to contemplate alternatives for the future. What has been done, what can be done, and what can exist.

Each individual has his or her own history and it is through our own personal perceptions and witnessing that these stories are remembered. It is with because of that reason that every historical account is different from one another. Finn and Jacobson (2008)…