1. Defensive Citizenship
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) as Membership
Pathways to citizenship
Social and cultural
Economic
Political
Legal
Naturalization process generally (LPRs)
Refugees
Noncitizens in military

5. Empirical Study of Naturalization as Membership
Naturalization outcomes
50% naturalize, with recent uptick of 8%
True across immigrant categories
Interviews with eligible citizens
Question: What factors influence pursuit of citizenship?
Legal categories: general LPRs (9), refugees (7), noncitizens in military (9)

6. “First it was the Muslims, and next? Who is on the list?” Latino LPR
General LPR Results
Themes from interviews
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
“First it was the Muslims, and next? Who is on the list?” Latino LPR

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 because it is the “next step”
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, 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
Delay and defects in naturalization process
Deported vets: “I still think of myself as American.”

9. Implications of Defensive Citizenship?
Substantive and formal citizenship can diverge (refugees v. vets)
Refugees feeling like outsiders despite formal status
Vets discounting formal citizenship due to substantive belonging…. at great cost.
Good or bad?
Thin v. thick citizenship
The instrumental benefit is offset by degraded meaning of citizenship. This has negative effects for the individual, for society, and ultimately for enforcement efforts.
Structure and culture both matter to bolstering (formal) citizenship

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)