Illegal

  • Amanda Espinosa-Aguilar
Chapter
First Online:

Abstract

This chapter discusses the shifting meaning of the interdependent terms “illegal immigrant” and “citizen” in anti-immigrant rhetoric and anti-immigration legislation.

It shows how fear and concerns about status preservation are exploited discursively in racist campaigns and laws. It argues that this exploitation results in laws that maintain the disenfranchisement of all immigrants, especially Latinxs, the largest growing segment of the US population.

Keywords

Immigration Policy Undocumented Immigrant Racial Profile Illegal Alien Immigration Enforcement 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© The Author(s) 2016

Authors and Affiliations

  • Amanda Espinosa-Aguilar
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of EnglishColumbia Basin CollegePascoUSA

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