Mobilizing Communities through International Study Tours: Project Mexico Immersion and New Immigrants in the Midwest

As immigration reform in the United States devolved to states and municipalities, some community organizations in the Midwest and South adopted strategies that utilize cultural immersion visits to 'sending communities' in Mexico. This paper examines how one such initiative Project Mexico Immersion, contributed to positive engagement between Anglos and Latinos. The immediate outcome was increased responsiveness of the local health care system toward new Latino immigrants. Shortterm travel study programs such as Project Mexico Immersion, the New Iowans Program and Latino Initiative have clearly demonstrated their potential value, and continued research of these programs will help communities enact more realistic and compassionate policies affecting immigrant newcomers.