Self-Education Resources

We will be sharing educational materials to help supporters gain a better understanding of any updates, news, or information.

• Brief Overview of Executive Orders Related to Immigration

• What Roles Do Immigrants Play in Ohio?

One of the best ways to make a difference is through education and understanding the history, policies, and personal stories that shape immigrant experiences. Below is a curated list of books, articles, and videos that offer deep insight into the realities of migration, refugee crises, and resilience.

Recommended Books:

• UnSpun: Finding Facts in a World of Disinformation by Brooks Jackson & Kathleen Hall Jamieson is a guide to navigating misinformation and media manipulation, especially important when communities face heightened scrutiny. 

• Not a Nation of Immigrants by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz – Challenges the traditional narrative that the U.S. is a nation built by immigrants, revealing the deep-rooted history of settler colonialism, forced displacement, and exclusionary policies.

• Everyone Who is Gone is Here by Jonathan Blitzer – A deeply reported book that follows asylum seekers and immigration advocates, providing a gripping look at the U.S. immigration system’s failures and complexities.

• Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen by Jose Antonio Vargas – Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas shares his powerful personal story of growing up undocumented in America, offering a raw and emotional perspective on identity and belonging.

• The Girl Who Smiled Beads by Clemantine Wamariya – A heartbreaking yet hopeful memoir about escaping the Rwandan genocide as a child, spending years in refugee camps, and rebuilding a new life in the U.S.

• The Ungrateful Refugee by Dina Nayeri – A thought-provoking blend of memoir and investigative reporting, challenging the way refugees are perceived and the burdens placed upon them.

• The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen – A collection of beautifully written short stories that explore the lives of Vietnamese refugees, shedding light on themes of displacement, survival, and identity.

Recommended articles and videos:

• Debunking the Myth of Immigrants and Crime – American Immigration Council

  • A data-driven resource disproving harmful myths linking immigration to crime—an excellent tool for community education. 

• VOCES: American Historia – The Untold History of Latinos | PBS

  • A powerful look at Latino history, identity, and overlooked stories.

•  Here’s How America’s Immigration Policies Have a Racist Past

  • A historical overview examining the roots of today’s immigration system.

• Mass Deportation: Analyzing the Trump Administration’s Attacks on Immigrants, Democracy, and America - American Immigration Council

• "Immigrant Are ‘Normal People’ Forced to Flee Their Countries” – The Atlantic

• "Seventy Miles in Hell” – The Atlantic

• How ICE Went Rogue: Analysis of the Legal Authorities Governing ICE - American Immigration Council

Recommended Podcasts:

• NPR Throughline - Who profits from migrant detention?

Recommended Documentaries:

• Flee (2021)
  An animated documentary that tells the true story of Amin, a man who fled Afghanistan as a child. Through intimate interviews, he reflects on trauma, identity, and the long journey to find safety and belonging.

• For Sama (2019)
  A deeply personal film made by a young mother living through the Syrian civil war. It documents life in Aleppo under siege, capturing love, loss, and resilience as she raises her daughter amid violence.

• Which Way Home (2009)
  This documentary follows unaccompanied children from Central America traveling through Mexico on freight trains, risking their lives to reach the United States in search of family and opportunity.

• Fire at Sea (2016)
  Set on the Italian island of Lampedusa, this film contrasts the everyday life of local residents with the ongoing migrant crisis, highlighting the human impact of refugees arriving by sea.

• Living Undocumented (2019)
  A Netflix docuseries that follows several undocumented families in the U.S., showing the emotional, legal, and financial challenges they face as they navigate uncertainty and the threat of deportation.

• Immigration Nation (2020)
  This series provides an inside look at the U.S. immigration system, including ICE operations, policy impacts, and the experiences of immigrants, revealing the complexities and controversies of enforcement.

• Human Flow
  A documentary series by artist Ai Weiwei that examines the global refugee crisis across multiple countries, sharing powerful personal stories while highlighting the scale and urgency of displacement worldwide.

Recommended movies:

• Minari (2020)
  A Korean American family moves to rural Arkansas to start a farm, chasing their version of the American Dream while navigating cultural identity, family tensions, and resilience.

• The Joy Luck Club (1993)
  This film weaves together the stories of Chinese immigrant mothers and their American-born daughters, exploring generational conflict, cultural expectations, and the lasting impact of family history.

• Man Push Cart (2005)
  An immigrant from Pakistan works long, grueling days pushing a coffee cart in New York City, quietly struggling with isolation, lost dreams, and the pursuit of a better life.

• The Farewell (2019)
  A Chinese American woman returns to China with her family under the guise of a wedding to say goodbye to her terminally ill grandmother—who doesn’t know she’s sick—highlighting cultural differences around family and truth.

• In America (2002)
  An Irish immigrant family moves to New York City, facing poverty, grief, and uncertainty while building a new life and finding hope through community and connection.

Recommended tv shows:

• Little America (2020-2022)
  An anthology series inspired by true stories of immigrants in the United States, each episode highlighting a different journey and perspective, often blending humor and heart to show the everyday realities of starting over.

• Mo (2022-2025)
  A comedy-drama about a Palestinian refugee living in Houston, balancing his family’s uncertain legal status with hustling to survive. The show mixes humor and hardship while exploring identity, belonging, and immigration struggles.

• Ramy (2019)
  This series follows a first-generation Egyptian American navigating faith, relationships, and identity in New Jersey. It explores the tension between cultural expectations, religion, and modern American life.

• #1 Happy Family USA (2025)
  An animated comedy that follows a Muslim American family navigating life in post-9/11 America, using satire to explore stereotypes, surveillance, and the challenges of fitting in while staying true to their identity.

The Myth of Self-Deportation

Deportation is a legal process that only a judge or DHS can order — not something people do to themselves. Using this term spreads fear, fuels anti-immigrant propaganda, and confuses real stories of migration.

Check out the graphics below to learn more about the myth of “self-deportation.”