Undocuasians - by Kevin Escudero & Rachel Freeman-Wong (Paperback)

About the Book

UndocuAsians tells the timely, compelling story of the contemporary US immigrant rights movement with a focus on Asian undocumented immigrant narratives. It does so by drawing on personal reflections and research articles by self-identified undocuAsian organizers and scholars from Asian immigrant backgrounds.

Book Synopsis

Asian immigrants comprise over 10% of the national undocumented immigrant population and Asian Americans are the fastest growing racial/ethnic group in the United States today. Asian undocumented communities, alongside their Latinx and Black undocumented counterparts, have also emphasized the importance of their racial/ethnic identities alongside their immigrant legal status in their organizing. UndocuAsians tells the story of the contemporary US immigrant rights movement with a focus on Asian undocumented immigrant narratives drawing on personal reflections and research studies by self-identified undocuAsian organizers and scholars from Asian immigrant backgrounds. Topics discussed in the volume include activists' navigation of racialized "illegality," the importance of chosen and biological family, pathways in the pursuit of higher education, the role of faith communities in the lives of Asian undocumented immigrants, and healing. Combined, these essays provide a diverse portrait of the vibrant, powerful community of Asian undocumented immigrants today.

Review Quotes

"In a nation marked by its complexity and contradictions, UndocuAsians shines a light on the important yet seldom told stories of undocumented Asian immigrants. This anthology weaves together a rich tapestry of personal reflections and scholarly research from activists and experts. The authors invite you into an intimate space where vulnerability meets resilience. It is not just a book--it is a call to action."

--Roberto G. Gonzales "author of Lives in Limbo: Undocumented and Coming of Age in America"

"While Asians are one of the fastest growing racial groups in the undocumented community, they are often omitted from broader public discourse and academic scholarship. Timely and relevant, each chapter provides an entryway to understand the nuances in the lives of undocumented Asians in a way that humanizes those experiences."

--Rose Ann E. Gutierrez "assistant professor of equity and diversity in education, University of Nevada, Reno"

"UndocuAsians offers a timely contribution to immigration literature. Historically grounded and conceptually rich, the centerpieces are the revelatory stories of individuals who fight for a more humane system. It urges us toward a compassionate future and to rethink what it means to live as undocumented with dignity, resistance, and hope."--Shelley S. Lee "author of A New History of Asian America"

"Asian Americans have never been less of a monolith. Our community is more diverse, more complex, and more undocumented than ever before, and UndocuAsians unpacks this state of affairs intimately."--Jose Antonio Vargas "author of Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen"

About the Author

KEVIN ESCUDERO is an assistant professor of American studies and ethnic studies and affiliated faculty member in the Department of Sociology, the Population Studies and Training Center, and the Native American and Indigenous Studies Initiative at Brown University, Rhode Island. He is the author of Organizing While Undocumented: Immigrant Youth's Political Activism under the Law.

RACHEL FREEMAN-WONG is a postdoctoral research associate for the Population Studies and Training Center at Brown University, Rhode Island. She has worked with immigrant advocacy organizations including The UndocuScholars Project at UCLA.