Immigration Law Commons^™

Investigating The Relationship Between Noun Classes And Plant Folk Taxonomy In Chasu Language Of Kilimanjaro Region In Tanzania, Peter Rabson Mziray

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The current study investigates the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu (G 22). The study focuses on two objectives: the first objective is to describe the plant folk taxonomy in Chasu and the second objective is to determine the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu. Data were collected from rural villages in Same and Mwanga districts by using free listing, field interviews (jungle-walk-and-identify), and written texts containing Chasu plant names. The findings reveal that Chasu folk taxonomy reflects different ethnobotanical categories; including a unique beginner which is mmea/mimea ‘plant(s)’, and three life …

Migration And U.S. Labor Market Effects Of The Mexican Drug War, Mark Borgschulte, Yuci Chen, Eduardo Medina-Cortina

Upjohn Institute Working Papers

We estimate the effect of the Mexican drug war on Mexico-to-U.S. migration and the resulting effects on population, employment, and wages in U.S. labor markets. Our empirical strategy compares U.S. counties differentially connected to Mexican municipalities through historical migration networks, using drug violence triggered by close municipal elections in 2007–2008 as a source of exogenous variation. Over the following decade, migrants fleeing the violence—the vast majority of whom are undocumented—cause native-born U.S. workers’ employment rates to increase and unemployment rates to fall, while wages do not change. Employment gains are largest for natives without a college degree. Employment effects fade …

The "Uniform Rule" And Its Exceptions: A History Of Congressional Naturalization Legislation, Daniel Rice

The Ozark Historical Review

Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution empowers Congress “[t]o establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization.” In Part I of this article, I discuss the American colonial experience with naturalization laws and account for the Naturalization Clause’s. I then examine the historical development of Congress’s “uniform rule” and deconstruct the mechanism by which certain groups have been excluded from and brought back within its reach. Lastly, I scrutinize Congress’s posture towards expatriation, the logical converse of naturalization. In Part II, I ask why Congress might have thought it expedient to carve out statutory exceptions to the naturalization procedures it had …

Health Impacts Of Restrictive Migration Policies: A Qualitative Study Of Highly Educated Iranian Immigrants And International Students In The U.S., Sarvenaz Taridashti, Mitra Naseh, Elvira M. Zamora Garcia, Jihye Lee

Montclair State University Scholarship & Creative Works

Immigrants constitute a substantial portion of the United States population and represent a significant minoritized group whose health is impacted by the country’s migration policies as social determinants of health. This qualitative study used a phenomenological approach to document and explore the lived experiences of highly educated Iranian immigrants and International Students within the context of U.S. migration policies while considering the Social Determinants of Health framework. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 participants. Reflexive thematic analysis of the data revealed four major themes (1) entry and reentry visa restrictions for Iranians; (2) the emotional and social impact of …

The Crucial Role Of Grassroots Social Organizations In Advancing Immigrant Legal Protections And Reshaping Immigration Policy, Isabella Reynolds

McNair Summer Research Program

This research project examines how grassroots social organizations contribute to the advancement of immigrant legal protections and shape immigration policy, with a particular focus on formerly incarcerated migrants in California. I focus on case studies and the personal experiences of organizers from Homies Unidos, Border Angels, and other organizations that operate near the San Diego–Tijuana border region. The study illustrates how these groups provide essential services, mental health support, and community-based initiatives for vulnerable and formerly incarcerated immigrants. By conducting oral histories and ethnography as methods for preserving emotional labor and shared memory, this research challenges prevailing narratives that criminalize …

Enhancing Client Intake Efficiency In The Removal Defense Program: A Nursing-Led Quality Improvement Initiative, Johnny Linares, Julia Tran Ngo, Daniel Orea, Atheana Yadira Lopez

Master's Projects and Capstones

This quality improvement project focuses on optimizing the intake process for the Removal Defense Program at a nonprofit immigration legal office serving asylum-seeking clients. The existing intake relied on unstructured, phone-call-based intake interviews that gathered incomplete information, leading to inconsistent documentation, reduced efficiency, and significant client processing delays. A structured, multilingual, and multiplatform new-client admission protocol coupled with the implementation of a client-facing resource guide for waitlist clients were co-developed and implemented using the Lippitt Change Theory framework. Utilizing a mixed methods approach, the study involved staff interviews and observational assessments with staff members from the program. Baseline intake process …

Latino Threat Perceptions And Immigration Attitudes: An Examination Across Generations Of Latinos, Michelle Angel

Dissertations and Theses

Recently, immigration has been a major focus in U.S. politics, more importantly with the current administration pushing for the implementation of punitive immigration policies. Research shows that perceived Latino threat is associated with support of Trump and harsh border controls. While existing research has expanded the perceived Latino threat and punitive border control attitudes among non-Latinos, less is known about how perceived Latino threat and punitive border control attitudes function within their own group and how they might vary across different generations of Latinos. Accordingly, there has been a shift in Latino voting preferences, specifically across different generations of Latinos. …

From Australian Influence To Rohingya Refugees: A Systematic Literature Review Of Asylum Seekers And Refugees In Indonesia, Bilal Dewansyah

The Indonesian Journal of Socio-Legal Studies

The fact that Indonesia hosts asylum seekers and refugees attracted not only policy debate and media attention but also academic research. However, no systematic review has been conducted to assess the scholarly literature on this topic. This article is intended to fill this gap by presenting a systematic literature review (SLR) on asylum seekers and refugees in Indonesia. As a result, I found five major themes in the reviewed literature: (1) the focus on the Indonesia – Australia relationship; (2) people smuggling; (3) refugees’ journey and living conditions in Indonesia; (4) Rohingya refugees; (5) legal protection and refugee status. However, …

[2025 Honorable Mention] Ice: Trauma, And The War On Immigrant Families, Brittney M. Williams

Ethnic Studies Research Paper Award

This paper exposes how immigration enforcement under the Trump administration’s second term has crossed the line from policy to persecution. ICE is operating like a secret police force, using fear tactics and legal loopholes to tear families apart without cause or due process. The impact is not theoretical. It is real, measurable, and devastating. Children are being taken from schools. Parents are disappearing without explanation. Communities are being pushed into silence and survival mode. This paper focuses on the trauma being inflicted, especially on immigrant youth, and the way outdated laws like the Alien Enemies Act are being twisted to …

[2025 Winner] Fear Is Knocking: No Abras La Puerta, Destiny Jimenez

Ethnic Studies Research Paper Award

This paper explores the impact of deportations and unauthorized immigration on the Mexican community. By focusing on the social, emotional, and economic challenges faced by Mexican immigrants due to their legal status, this paper examines how deportation policies disproportionately affect their lives. Drawing from my own family's experience, I reflect on my mother's journey as an immigrant and how her experiences shed light on the broader struggles of many in the community.

Deportation And Immigration Enforcement In The United States: Analysis Of Regional And Country Variations, Exmond Ofori Sarpiah

Political Science Theses and Capstones

This study examines the motivations behind President Trump’s mass deportation policies due to the inflow of undocumented migrants from different regions in America. The study employs data visualization techniques, such as scatter plot and bar charts, to analyze regional and country variation trends in migrant removals and undocumented populations across global regions.

The Transition Process Of Syrian Refugee Families Separated By U.S. Immigration Law, Firas Aljijakli

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Refugees are regarded as one of the most pressing humanitarian issues worldwide due to intricate social, economic, and demographic factors. Changes in U.S. immigration policy across successive administrations, particularly regarding the refugee ban and the duration of the resettlement process, have significantly impacted admission procedures. Consequently, family separations occur during the resettlement process, compelling families to navigate immigration policies while managing the challenges of being apart. This separation from their children greatly affects refugees’ ability to integrate into American society.

The research examines how Syrian refugee families cope with the separation resulting from U. S. immigration law. An important lens …

Review Of God's Resistance: Mobilizing Faith To Defend Immigrants, Anna Peterson

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Tienen Alas, Pero No Las Pueden Usar: Stories Of Immigrants In Search Of Work Credentials, Jonathan Vega-Martinez, Maria M. Pache De Athayde, Fabián Torres-Ardila, Phillip Granberry

Gastón Institute Publications

This report presents the results of a qualitative research study, funded by the Latino Equity Fund of the Boston Foundation, aimed at understanding the challenges that highly skilled immigrants1 face when reentering their careers in Massachusetts.

Discretion, Deference, And Dysfunction: U.S. Refugee Resettlement From Egypt, Cassandra Mcclellan

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates refugee resettlement from Egypt to the U.S., as facilitated by UNHCR Egypt and the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). Accordingly, the research questions ask what factors determine the volume and profile of refugees UNHCR Egypt submits to USRAP for resettlement, as well as the related determining factors for refugees rejected from and accepted to USRAP. A fourth research question examines the impacts of U.S. refugee policy on the resettlement system in Egypt, including on UNHCR Egypt and refugees. To answer these questions, the thesis first delves into the history of U.S. immigration and refugee policies, with a …

Transnational Legal Violence: Undocumented Women V. U.S. Immigration Law, Luis A. Mendoza

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis examines how undocumented women, particularly Latinas, experience "transnational legal violence" within the U.S. immigration system. Transnational legal violence extends the framework of legal violence by identifying how immigration policies weaponize absence and distance across national boundaries, forcing women to choose between physical safety and legal recognition. The thesis is guided by a central question: What immigration system are migrant women, specifically Latinas, responding to?

The analysis rooted in the intersections of gender and citizenship reveals how immigration law remains rooted in coverture traditions that historically rendered immigrant women dependent on male U.S. citizens. For these women, deportation presents …

Racial Disparities In Crime-Based Removal Proceedings, Emily Ryo, Ian Peacock, Weston Ley, Christopher Levesque

Faculty Scholarship

Whether and to what extent racial minorities experience harsher treatment or face worse outcomes in court are questions of fundamental importance for any justice system. Questions of racial inequality are especially salient in the context of removal proceedings that are triggered by immigrants’ criminal history. Many individuals in crime-based removal proceedings are immigrants of color who face a host of legal disadvantages that are tantamount to double penalties for the same crime for which they have already been punished through the criminal justice system. This Article offers, for the first time, systematic empirical analyses of crime-based removal proceedings decided between …

Beyond The Threshold Of Protection: Examining Non-Refoulement's Erosion In Contemporary Refugee Law Through The Eu-Turkey Agreement, Aya Osman

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis examines the contemporary relevance and practical implementation of the principle of non-refoulement as established in the 1951 Refugee Convention. While this fundamental principle of international refugee law prohibits the return of individuals to countries where they face persecution, torture, or human rights violations, its widespread violation by state parties raises critical questions about its continued effectiveness and the broader validity of the Convention's framework in today's global context. Through a methodological approach combining legal analysis and case studies of state practices, this paper investigates whether the 1951 framework remains valid and in effect when addressing refugee and immigration …

Effects Of Perceived Procedural Justice On The Relationship Between Visa Application Outcome And Psychological Distress: Evidence From Ghanaians And Nigerians Applying For U.S. Student Visas, Harriet Swanzy-Baffoe

Masters Theses

Visa interviews are not just bureaucratic processes; they can have significant psychological effects on applicants. This study examined the impact of U.S. student visa outcomes on psychological distress among West African applicants, with particular attention to perceptions of procedural justice during the interview process. The study surveyed 203 Ghanaian and Nigerian individuals who had previously applied for a U.S. student visa. Psychological distress was measured using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), and perceptions of fairness were measured with a custom-developed Procedural Justice Scale. Independent samples t-tests showed that denied applicants reported significantly higher distress, although elevated symptoms were also …

U.S. Residents' Current Attitudes Towards Immigrants And Immigration: A Study From The Life In Hampton Roads Survey, Daniel K. Pryce

Sociology & Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Immigration is a fiery topic in U.S. society, as it generally brings to a boil native-born citizens’ disparate attitudes toward immigrants and immigration. While immigration has its fierce supporters and opponents alike, the topic provides fodder for politicians who use it to stoke the fear of an impending “immigrant invasion” among citizens. This is why scholars must regularly undertake empirical studies to assess community members’ views about immigrants and immigration in U.S. society. To add to the contemporary immigration debate, I analyze data from a random sample of 610 respondents who reside in the seven cities that make up the …

Securitization Of African Migrants In Europe And North America, Chick Edmond

Political Science & Geography Faculty Publications

The securitization of African migrants in Europe and North America refers to the framing of immigrants as an existential security threat rather than a socioeconomic or humanitarian concerns. This discourse driven by political rhetoric, media narratives, and policy measures, often depict African migrants as risks to national security, cultural identity, and economic stability. Governments in host countries employ stringent border controls, detention and deportation policies often justified by counterterrorism and crime prevention frameworks. However, critics argue that securitization exacerbates xenophobia, violates human rights, and fails to address root causes of migration, such as conflict, poverty, and climate change. This paper …

Rethinking Trust In The Refugee Resettlement Process: How Service Providers Can Enable Refugee Agency Through Diasporic Connections, Mahfoudha Sidelemine, Emily D. Campion

Political Science & Geography Faculty Publications

Current guidance for refugee resettlement agency workers encourages the simultaneous pursuit of trust-building and administrative tasks (e.g., housing, transportation and employment). This dual goal is resource-intensive, and focusing on the former may come at a cost to the latter. The purpose of the current research is to challenge the importance of trust-building by resettlement agencies. Drawing from our qualitative data from in-depth interviews with resettled refugees (N = 20) and agency workers (N = 15), we adopt a grounded theory approach and find that the burden of responsibility for both caregiving and administrative responsibilities can overtax agency workers …

Rights As Remedies: Using Latin American Legal Channels To Halt U.S. Border Externalization, Natalie Lerner

Lewis & Clark Law Review

The first Trump Administration saw intense border crackdowns and a ramping up of restrictions on asylum. While some of these policies shifted under President Biden, many were recreated under new names. The second Trump Administration has functionally closed the border and deported asylum seekers to third countries such as Costa Rica and Panama, leaning heavily on Latin American countries to accept expelled migrants. As U.S. courts fail to preserve asylum law domestically, international law, as integrated into the constitutions of Latin American countries, can provide a valuable litigation tool to block those countries from participating in the U.S. border externalization …

With Fear, Favor, And Flawed Analysis: Decision-Making In The U.S, Immigration Courts, Karen Musalo, Anna O. Law, Annie P. Daher, Katharine Donato, Chelsea Meinders

Publications and Research

Immigration judges (IJs), housed within the Executive Office for Immigration Review within the Department of Justice (DOJ), make decisions in asylum and withholding claims, which are life or death matters. And although their title is “judge,” IJs are DOJ attorneys who lack independence and are par- ticularly susceptible to political pressures. Federal court judges and scholars alike have criticized the quality and fairness of IJ decision-making, and many studies have been carried out to better understand the factors that impact it. The prior studies have relied principally on quantitative data because IJ decisions are not publicly available or searchable in …

Strangers To The Algorithm: The Effects Of Algorithmic Decision-Making In Removal Proceedings On Due Process Rights, Otoniel Ramos

Undergraduate Research Symposium Podium Presentations

This paper investigates the impact of algorithmic decision-making tools on due process rights, particularly within immigration removal proceedings. Deviating from prior studies, which primarily focused on various measures of fairness or the long-term racial stratification as a consequence of these tools, this research emphasizes the implications for due process—a fundamental legal principle enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. By examining ICE's use of these tools between July 2012 (when they were adopted) and October 2016, the study reveals the ways algorithmic input may inadvertently erode principles of procedural justice, especially adjudicatorial independence, in a setting where the rights of non-citizens are …

Immigration: Ancient Counterparts And Processes, Monica Souza Sue

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

This project sought to inspect parallels between modern and ancient societies, and the commonality of certain events and political markers. This project makes mentions of power dynamics, the position of immigrants as a source of labor, and their commodification as a force. Research used a 'compilation of materials' method. In which, is performed the examination and studying of different materials in relation to the question, compiling findings, and crafting commentary based on the discoveries of the medias. The experiences of immigrants in the United States are strongly comparable to the experiences of metic (immigrant) women in ancient Athens. A small …

Accommodating Incompetency In Immigration Court, Elizabeth Jordan

Northwestern University Law Review

In criminal law, an individual must be deemed competent to stand trial, yet our immigration courts routinely order the deportation of incompetent noncitizens. A removal proceeding against a noncitizen—where an outcome of deportation often risks life-threatening harm—continues apace even if the noncitizen has been deemed incompetent by the immigration judge. In place of halting proceedings, the immigration judge imposes “safeguards” pursuant to a provision of the immigration code that neither defines nor explains the term. In practice, judges’ application of the term “safeguards” is often absurd. The implications of continuing a proceeding against a noncitizen with a disability affecting competency …

Humanitarian Parole To The United States: The Case Of A Gay Man Fleeing Afghanistan, Melanie Shapiro

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

This article will discuss my experience as an immigration attorney representing a gay man from Afghanistan fleeing the Taliban. First, it will give an overview of the Taliban’s role in Afghanistan and the Taliban takeover in August 2021. It will then discuss the treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals in Afghanistan. Next, the article will discuss how I became involved in representing individuals fleeing Afghanistan and the humanitarian parole process.

Expanding Healthcare Access For The Undocumented Immigrant Community: The Heal For Immigrant Families Act Of 2023, Perla Torres Estrada

The Gettysburg Journal for Public Policy

When it comes to the topic of universal healthcare, most of us will readily agree that healthcare is a human right. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of who should be granted this right, and if it should be left to the free market to determine access and affordability. Specifically, the political debate on expanding healthcare access to undocumented immigrants in the United States revolve around concerns over costs, legality, and equity. Proponents maintain that it is a human right whereas opponents question the potential burden on taxpayers and the implication for immigration policy. The HEAL …

Us-Mexico Relations: Addressing Challenges At The Border, The Brookings Institution

Brookings Mountain West Special Events

Mexico’s president-elect Claudia Sheinbaum will begin her six-year term in October as the U.S. presidential campaign enters its final stretch. How the next U.S. administration and Congress manage relations with new leadership in Mexico will affect border security, immigration policies, trade and energy relations, and counter-narcotics and anti-crime cooperation. What tools can policymakers in both countries use to advance positive outcomes? What are the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead for the United States and Mexico?

The Brookings Foreign Policy program in partnership with Brookings Mountain West at UNLV hosted a discussion on the state of U.S.-Mexico relations. Panelists analyzed …