ORCID

https://orcid.org/0009-0005-9909-1321

Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

MA in Sociology

Department

Sociology and Anthropology

First Advisor

Michael Indergaard

Second Advisor

Michael Indergaard

Third Advisor

Joseph Trumino

Abstract

This thesis examines how unjust and dysfunctional U.S. immigration laws have shaped the migrant crisis in New York City, particularly during the 2022-2024 influx of migrants, through the lens of Critical Race Theory (CRT). It explores how racialized immigration policies, systemic inequities, and rising nativism have intensified challenges faced by migrants from Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and other marginalized regions. The study examines political opposition and media portrayals since the mid-1980s that hindered immigration reform, exposing a flawed system lacking adequate legal pathways. This inadequate framework has fueled discrimination and worsened asylum seekers' hardships. Driven by nativist sentiment and biased media, these policies worsened New York City’s 2022-2024 migrant crisis, overwhelming infrastructure, depleting resources, and prompting ineffective responses.. The thesis highlights the intersection of race, immigration law, and socio-economic status, demonstrating how unjust immigration practices and xenophobic attitudes perpetuate cycles of marginalization, legal exclusion, and dehumanization. Ultimately, this work advocates for comprehensive immigration reform rooted in racial justice and human dignity. It calls for reevaluating immigration policies to create a just, humane, and effective system that promotes inclusivity, addresses systemic inequities, and respects all immigrants.

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