Epilogue: Reclaiming our voices, stories and knowledge
University of Texas Press (2022)
In my contribution to the book, I explore how a lived deportation experience can enrich our understanding of migration. I advocate for participatory and horizontal approaches to working with migrants, and the importance of mitigating risks of extractivism in social interventions and academic projects.
Barriers and Opportunities in the Integration and Social Mobility of U.S.-Educated Deported and Returned Youth
El Colef (2020)
In my chapter contribution based on research and advocacy work on return migration of U.S.-undocumented youth to Mexico, I discuss the migration-education nexus by delving into U.S. immigration and Mexican education policies that contribute to their exclusion, and the importance of including their participation in policy design.
From Marginalization to Insider Researcher: Advancing the Right to Educational Mobility of US-Educated Deportees in Mexico
AERA (2016)
As a deported DREAMer turned researcher, I explore the intersection of education and immigration policies. I focus on the forced return migration of U.S. DREAMers to Mexico due to U.S. immigration laws. I discuss the challenges they face in revalidating their U.S. education and continuing their studies in Mexico. I argue for academia's social responsibility towards its research subjects and the importance of participatory methodologies in democratizing academia.
Advocacy Articles
Migrant Rights
Crimmigration: The Unspoken Legacy of the Bill Clinton Presidency
Words in the Bucket (2016)
Criminalization of migrants is not a new phenomenon and it's institutionalization in the 1990s in immigration law has had long-lasting effects. In this brief analysis I explore the policy changes under Bill Clinton which have led to the present-day erosion of the rights of immigrants in the United States.
Las Patronas Kitchen: A documentary about the women who give food - and hope -
Latina Lista (2016)
A piece about a documentary that focuses on the humanitarian work of Las Patronas, a collective of women who from their kitchen embody resilience, empathy and unwavering compassion to the migrants who need humanitarian assistance.
In Transit to Detention: Child Migrants in Mexico
Words in the Bucket (2015)
Children on the move face a harsh reality through their transit through Mexico, including the threat of detention. Instead of prioritizing their protection, we may have already turned this humanitarian crisis into a moral crisis with repercussions that will carry over generations to come.
The Use of "Illegal" in Academia: An Unscholarly Approach
Latina Lista (2013)
Language has the power to humanize the migrant experience, but in discussions of migration, often times it is used as a tool to criminalize migrants. Academia has not been immune to the biases that have polarized the debate on immigration. In this essay, I make the case for eliminating the use of the term "illegal" to describe migrants and highlight efforts that have advocated for this stance.