Week 7_Wenru Shi_Section A01

Week 7_Wenru Shi_Section A01

“We need to learn Asian American History and culture, because there is both inside and outside, intergenerational trauma on us. We need to know where we are going, who we are and  better identify ourselves.” said by Eddy Zheng, an immigrant who has been incarcerated in prison for 20 years. 

Related to this week’s reading, we need to pay attention to the criminalization of immigration, which leaves imperishable, intergenerational trauma to detainees, to their children and to their future generations. 

Current issue of immigration detention is that the immigration policy not only forces some immigrants to be in prison, but also puts them in private prisons. Immigration has been “problematized” within “American context” these years (Ackerman & Furman, 2013). The thinking of “Immigrants deprive citizens’ jobs and resources,” “immigrants increase the crime rates,” and etc. all represents the problems existed when we look at immigration. At the same time, due to supreme court’s policy to reduce state prisons, a large number of private prisons starts to receive immigrant detainees. However, as authors said in the article, “individuals held in private prisons” are “more [violent]” than peers; also, they receive less health care and are abused more  (Ackerman & Furman, 2013). Some immigrants are forced to separate with their families, ending up leaving their children in chidden welfare programs, where these children cannot grow up with adequate care. These children, as well as immigrant detainees’ family will be hurt not only limited to one generation.

For many Asian immigrants, Latino immigrants, and other refugees, it is important for policy makers to have a conversation with these communities, to hear their voices, preventing from keeping leaving them permanent trauma. In addition, ethnic studies such as Asian American  Studies, Chicano Studies and African American Studies can be an important part to go through these issues happened on immigrants. 

Question:

How does the ethnic study helps immigrants understand the international trauma brought by discrimination, incarceration, etc. ?

Reference:

• Ackerman, A.R. & Furman, R. (2013). The criminalization of immigration and the privatization of the immigration detention: implications for justice. Contemporary Justice Review, 16(2), 251-263. doi:10282580.2013.798506

• DeChillo, S. (2008, Dec. 26). City of Immigrants Fills Jail Cells With Its Own[image]. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/27/us/27detain.html