1. List the following information for Haiti:
a) the population
b) the religious breakdown of the population
c) the type of government
d) the chief of state (and head of government if different)
e) capital
f) location/the countries that share its borders
[Find the answers at the CIA World FactBook website. For each country, answers can be found under the "Geography" "People" and "Government" headings.]

2. What action has the Obama administration announced it will take regarding Haitians who want to immigrate to the U.S.?

3. Why is Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa opposed to the President’s executive action? [Sen. Grassley is the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over immigration policy.]

4. What questions/concerns did Sen. Grassley have about President Obama’s decision?

5. A presidential executive order is a directive issued to federal agencies, department heads, or other federal employees by the President under his statutory or constitutional powers. Do you support President Obama’s use of executive order to allow people from Haiti to “jump the line”? Is this the right thing to do for Haiti because the people suffered a devastating earthquake in 2010 and so many live in such poverty? What about the Haitians who aren’t lucky enough to have family members in the U.S.? How do you think immigrants from other countries who are also on a long wait-list feel about this? Explain your answers.

6. What do you think would happen if there were no quotas on the number of immigrants who were permitted to come to the U.S.? Would this benefit, harm or have no effect on Americans? Explain your answer.

7. President Obama had promised to use executive action to remake federal immigration policies by the end of the summer. NBC reported in September that the President would postpone any action until after the midterm elections in November “acquiescing to Democrats’ fears that such a move would damage their prospects for maintaining control of the U.S. Senate.” Ask a parent:
a) Do you support President Obama’s use of executive action to change immigration laws? Explain your answer.
b) Do you support President Obama’s postponing his use of executive action to change immigration laws until after the November elections? Explain your answer.