Fictive Kinship: Family Reunification and the Meaning of Race and Nation in American Immigration

Note on Terminology

Note on Terminology Iam quite mindful of the significance and role of language in shaping debate and signifying meaning in political discourse, particularly on topics as heated as immigration. Immigrant activists have criticized the use of terms such as “illegal alien,” “illegal immigrant,” and “illegal immigration” as dehumanizing and racist. Some activists have advocated the use of “undocumented ” in place of “illegal.” I am sensitive to these concerns. Unfortunately, a simple replacement with the word “undocumented” raises a number of problems. Most importantly, it is not fully accurate. For example, many immigrants enter the United States with legal documents but simply overstay their visas. Other immigrants may have documents , but they are false or forged. Also, an “undocumented” status is only meaningful in a historical era in which travelers are documented. The documentary requirements for would-be immigrants during the long period I cover in the book varied over time. Where appropriate, I use the term “unauthorized” to refer to immigrants and immigration whose legal status would be questioned or denied by the state. However, I also use the phrases “illegal immigrant” and “illegal immigration” in places where such usage helps to connote the sentiment expressed by actors in the given example. Likewise I use the term “undocumented” where it is appropriate. Finally, I argue for an ideational approach to understanding policymaking and thus believe wholeheartedly that concepts such as race and gender are socially constructed. These words, along with racial and ethnic terms, are not placed in quotes as a stylistic preference and for simplicity’s sake. ...