Congress stance on Immigration

You​ ​are​ ​to​ ​write​ ​a​ ​letter​ ​to​ ​a​ ​member​ ​of​ ​Congress​ ​stating​ ​your​ ​views​ ​on​ ​immigration. You​ ​may​ ​write​ ​to one of​ ​the​ ​following​ ​Congressmen:

U.S.​ ​Senator​ ​Tom Cotton,

U.S. Senator John Boozeman,

U.S. House of Representative- French Hill

Tips​ ​on​ ​writing​ ​your​ ​letter

Senators​ ​and​ ​Representatives​ ​pay​ ​attention​ ​to​ ​their​ ​mail​ ​(both​ ​regular​ ​and​ ​e-mail).​ ​It’s​ ​good politics.​ ​Responding​ ​to​ ​mail​ ​is​ ​crucial​ ​to​ ​reelection.​ ​Members​ ​know​ ​your​ ​vote​ ​can​ ​be​ ​won​ ​or​ ​lost by​ ​their​ ​response.​ ​The​ ​most​ ​effective​ ​letter​ ​is​ ​a​ ​personal​ ​one,​ ​not​ ​a​ ​form​ ​letter.​ ​The​ ​letter should​ ​be​ ​short,​ ​informed​ ​and​ ​polite.

Some​ ​specific​ ​tips:

Try​ ​to​ ​stick​ ​to​ ​one​ ​page;

Be​ ​polite​ ​and​ ​concise.​ ​Refrain​ ​from​ ​making​ ​threats​ ​or​ ​ultimatums.

In​ ​a​ ​short​ ​paragraph,​ ​state​ ​your​ ​purpose.

Support​ ​your​ ​position​ ​with​ ​examples​ ​(evidence)​ ​in​ ​the​ ​rest​ ​of​ ​the​ ​letter.

Be​ ​factual​ ​and​ ​support​ ​your​ ​position​ ​with​ ​information​ ​about​ ​how​ ​the​ ​issue​ ​is​ ​likely​ ​to​ ​affect you​ ​and​ ​others.​ ​You​ ​can​ ​use​ ​the​ ​articles​ ​we​ ​read​ ​in​ ​class​ ​or​ ​you​ ​own​ ​research​ ​on​ ​the computer.​ ​Be​ ​sure​ ​to​ ​include​ ​the​ ​sources​ ​of​ ​your​ ​information​ ​(websites,​ ​articles,​ ​etc.)

Ask​ ​for​ ​something​ ​to​ ​be​ ​done​ ​about​ ​the​ ​issue​ ​and​ ​suggest​ ​something​ ​reasonable​ ​to​ ​be done.

Template

Your​ ​Name

Address

​​Zip​ ​Code

Date

The​ ​Honorable​ ​​(name​ ​of​ ​congressman​ ​or​ ​senator)​​ ​of​ ​the​ ​<​United​ ​States​ ​Senate​>​ ​OR <​United​ ​States​ ​House​ ​of​ ​Representatives​>

Dear​ ​Senator​ ​______,

I​ ​am…​​ ​(tell​ ​them​ ​who​ ​you​ ​are​ ​and​ ​where​ ​you’re​ ​from)​​ ​I’m​ ​writing​ ​to​ ​you​ ​about the​ ​issue​ ​of…​ ​​(what​ ​issue​ ​have​ ​we​ ​been​ ​studying)​ ​and​ ​then​ ​(State​ ​your position​ ​on​ ​the​ ​issue,​ ​for​ ​or​ ​against)

(Next,​ ​use​ ​facts​ ​and​ ​details​ ​regarding​ ​your​ ​position/argument​ ​to​ ​show​ ​you​ ​have​ ​researched​ ​it.​ ​Use textual​ ​information​ ​from​ ​the​ ​articles​ ​we​ ​read.​ ​Don’t​ ​just​ ​list​ ​facts​ ​but​ ​weave​ ​them​ ​into​ ​the​ ​position you’ve​ ​taken.)​ ​​5​ ​sentences​ ​(2​ ​pieces​ ​of​ ​textual​ ​evidence)

Textual​ ​Evidence

1. __________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________ 2. __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

Your​ ​Thoughts​ ​About​ ​the​ ​Textual​ ​Evidence

3. __________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________ 4. __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

(Close​ ​by​ ​asking​ ​if​ ​they​ ​can​ ​do​ ​something​ ​about​ ​it​ ​and​ ​what​ ​you​ ​would​ ​like​ ​done)​ ​​2​ ​sentences.

If​ ​you​ ​could…​​ ​(ask​ ​them​ ​to​ ​do​ ​something​ ​and​ ​tell​ ​them​ ​what​ ​they​ ​should​ ​do)

Sincerely,

Your​ ​Name