Making Undocumented Immigrants into a Legitimate Political Subject: Theoretical Observations from the United States and France

Abstract

Over the last 20 years, the global North has witnessed the growing prominence of immigrant rights movements. This article examines how this highly stigmatized population has achieved a certain degree of legitimacy in hostile political environments. The central claim of the article is that this kind of legitimacy is initially achieved through the efforts of activists to represent undocumented immigrants in ways that resonate with the normative values of the nation. The author examines how activist networks are formed to present their cases within national political fields and the effects of this process on the political identities of immigrants and their respective citizenship regimes. The process of gaining legitimacy is contradictory. It contributes to nationalizing the political identities of foreigners and reproducing the exclusionary logic of national citizenship regimes. But in doing this, it encourages those who cannot conform to national values to embrace more radical and universal conceptions of rights. The generation of competing discourses and notions of rights (national versus universal) therefore arises through struggles to make undocumented immigrants into legitimate political subjects.

Silencing to Give Voice: Backstage Preparations in the Undocumented Youth Movement in Los Angeles

“…The initial struggle centered on pushing for the passage of the federal Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, but activists also embarked on state-level campaigns and, more recently, on campaigns to stop the aggressive deportation policies of the Obama administration. Their success was largely linked to a political and representational strategy that hinged on constructing a compelling and sympathetic public persona that adheres to national values and narratives (Nicholls 2013a(Nicholls , 2013b. By crafting a resonant mobilizing frame and producing strong public performances, the youths were able to create a powerful political voice as the DREAMers.…”

‘Se llevaron el padre de mis hijos’: Latina mothers coping with the deportation of their partner

“…As one study articulates, ‘The illegal immigrant is more than marginalized – They are effectively and legally neutralized’ (Pope and Garrett, , p. 175). In other words, because the unauthorized immigrant technically falls outside of the realm of the law, it has even been questioned whether unauthorized immigrants have a ‘right to have rights.’” (Nicholls, ; Pope and Garrett, ). Thus, unauthorized immigrants become a sort of inassimilable and foreign other, making it difficult for American society to be sympathetic to their plight (Nicholls, ).…”

“…In other words, because the unauthorized immigrant technically falls outside of the realm of the law, it has even been questioned whether unauthorized immigrants have a ‘right to have rights.’” (Nicholls, ; Pope and Garrett, ). Thus, unauthorized immigrants become a sort of inassimilable and foreign other, making it difficult for American society to be sympathetic to their plight (Nicholls, ). This adds to the difficulties that the families of unauthorized immigrants face, as anti‐immigrant sentiment may lead to considerable stigmatization and discrimination (Nicholls, ), that will lead to increased family stressors.…”

Deserving Welcome? Immigrants, Christian Faith Communities, and the Contentious Politics of Belonging in the US South

“…These advocates, moreover, often identify particular kinds of unauthorized immigrants as particularly deserving, singling out, for instance, exemplary young people who have excelled in school but who have been denied access to state universities and to jobs, as evidence of the unfairness of the current immigration system (Yukich [] elaborates on this point, providing a detailed account of the “casting” of deserving individuals by the New Sanctuary movement in the US). In short, immigrant advocates “must construct representations of immigrants and their cause in ways that cohere with the core normative and moral values of the nation” (Nicholls :84; see also Marrow ).…”