Education Commons^™

You Get What You Deserve: The Struggle For Worthiness Of International Students And Workers, Hoa Bui

Journal of Critical Scholarship on Higher Education and Student Affairs

To attack the current immigration policies, Trump borrowed largely from the assumption that the current system is not a meritocracy, bringing in unworthy immigrants. Reflecting on the heavy influence from her mother, her journey, and experiences that led to her present life as a “legal alien” studying and working predominantly in the American higher education system, the author questioned the assumptions behind the idea of worthiness, deservingness, and responsibility. Anchored from post-colonialism theories, the authored outlined the challenges and potentials for those with similar immigration status and educational privilege.