Social participation of racialized immigrants living under crimmigration law in North Carolina

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Natalie Jasmine Cholula (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
Cindy Brooks Dollar

Abstract: Restrictive immigration policies in the United States limit entry into the country while also limiting access to social goods and engagement inside the country. Throughout U.S. history, immigration policies limited entry to people based on race and country of origin through justifications of perceived worthiness to maintain a White nation. More recently, the U.S. has merged criminal law with immigration law, referred to as crimmigration, which has criminalized civil violations and provides monetary incentives for the detainment and deportation of noncitizens. Crimmigration is a multifaceted concept that consists of color-blind racist ideologies, negative portrayal of immigrants of color by the media, and psychosocial consequences of law. The White dominant group perceives immigrants of color as a threat, therefore supports policies that eliminate the perceived threat. I rely on racial-ethnic threat theory to frame immigrant’s experiences of perceived threat in Alamance County, North Carolina— a historically White, rural community. Using in-depth semi-structured interviews, I inquire about the daily life experiences of immigrants of color living in Alamance County. Results show crimmigration law socially restricts the lives of immigrants and their families, makes immigrants feel fearful, and makes immigrants find ways to cope with fear, discrimination, and uncertainty. This research project highlights the health, legal, and social implications of criminalizing immigration law in a new-immigrant destination.

Additional Information

Publication
Thesis
Language: English
Date: 2020
Keywords
Crimmigration, Detention and deportation, Illegality, Immigrant criminalization, Immigration enforcement, Racial-ethnic threat
Subjects
Emigration and immigration law $z North Carolina $z Alamance County $x Criminal provisions
Immigrants $z North Carolina $z Alamance County $x Social conditions
Alamance County (N.C.) $x Race relations

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