Consequences of fear
The criminalization of international students in the United States
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32674/kgswet69Keywords:
International Students, Immigration Policy, Higher Education, Surveillance and Control, Criminalization, System-ImpactedAbstract
In this article, we examine the criminalization of international students in the United States by reviewing publicly available policy documents and media sources. We discuss historical examples of how the United States has routinely criminalized international others. Grounded in crimmigration theory, this analysis situates contemporary procedural practices within broader historical, contemporary, and cultural trends of securitization and exclusion. We identify shared structures and language in policies of continuous documentation, required reporting to designated authorities, strict compliance mandates, and low thresholds for sanctions that can result in sudden loss of status or freedom. By framing these practices within larger carceral logics, we provide a critical analysis of how international students are treated as criminals rather than as members of our academic communities.
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