1. Constructing Citizenship for Noncitizens
Ming H. Chen
Associate Professor, University of Colorado Law and Political Science
Director, Immigration Law & Policy Program
September 2017

2. Book Project: Constructing Citizenship for Noncitizens
Membership asymmetry: How does enforcement relate to immigrant incorporation and notions of citizenship for noncitizens?
Chapter 1 Noncitizens or Semi-Citizens?
Chapter 2 Spectrum of Citizenship Statuses
Chapter 3 Sites of Citizenship
Chapter 4 Defensive Citizenship
Chapter 5 Citizenship for Noncitizens

3. Chapter Summary: Defensive Citizenship
Becoming a Citizen: Naturalization (Formal Citizenship) as Membership
Empirical Study of Immigrants Seeking Citizenship in Current Climate
Naturalization outcomes
Interviews with LPRs, refugees, and noncitizens in military
Implications of Defensive Citizenship?
Partly explains uptick in naturalization rates during hostile political climate
However, the instrumental benefit is offset by degraded meaning of citizenship. This has negative effects for the individual, for society, and ultimately for enforcement efforts.

4. Naturalization: Formal Citizenship Status as Membership
Pathways to citizenship
US-born
Naturalized
Pathways to Citizenship
LPRs generally (green card)
Refugees
Noncitizens in military
US = laissez faire approach mostly

5. Empirical Study of Naturalization as Membership
Naturalization outcomes
Approximately 50% naturalize
Rise to 58% over last decade
Trend holds across immigrant categories
Interviews with immigrants [n=25]
General LPRs
Refugees
Noncitizens in military

6. Overall LPR Results
Question: What factors influence pursuit of citizenship?
Themes from interviews and citizenship scholarship
Ability to travel/ right to U.S. passport
Eligibility for immigration-related and collateral benefits
Fostering a sense of identity, membership as belonging
Civic participation / voting / dissent*
Fearing immigration enforcement/Avoiding deportation*

7. Refugees and Asylum-Seeker Results
“I still consider myself a refugee, even though I have citizenship.
That does not get left behind.”
Naturalize at high rates (90%+)
Reasons because it is the “next step,” because I need a safe place
Formal membership, without substantive belonging
Ambivalence toward contemporary political climate
Fear: “Refugees know what happens in worst case scenarios”
Gratitude: “We are finally legal humans… but we did not choose the U.S.”

8. Noncitizens in Military and Deported Vets
“I’m more American than you because I fought for this country.”
Naturalize at high rates (13% more likely than similar nonmilitary)
though administrative challenges, vetting delays, deportation
Challenging formal definitions of citizenship
I was already American before getting official citizenship.
Lacking or losing formal citizenship does not change the result
Declining integrative potential of substantive citizenship / feeling American

9. Implications of Defensive Citizenship?
Structure and climate both matter to membership (proxy naturalization)
Substantive and formal citizenship can diverge (refugees v. vets)
Refugees feeling like outsiders despite formal status
Vets feeling Americans, discounting formal citizenship…. at great cost
Good or bad?
Thin v. thick citizenship: positive outcomes, if we think citizenship is good
The instrumental benefit is offset by degraded meaning of citizenship. This has negative effects for the individual, for society, and ultimately for enforcement efforts.

10. Future Directions for Research
Sharpening the theoretical argument
Connecting to book’s theme of membership
Focus on formal citizenship as a facet of full membership
Influence of political climate v. other explanations for naturalization
Questions: Is defensive citizenship as undesireable as a I make it out to be? Is this a unique moment among hostile political climates?
Strengthening the research design and empirical data
Comparisons across general LPR, refugees, military
High tech workers (H1-B and EB immigration)
DACA and undocumented immigrants (lacking pathway to integration)
Preview of policy prescriptions (Chapter 5/Conclusion)