I am a sociologist of immigration, race/ethnicity, and law whose research examines how legal and racial categories shape the lived experiences of immigrants. Using qualitative methods, including in-depth interviews and ethnography, my work explores how illegality and racialization operates not only through laws and policies but also through everyday social interactions and relationships.
Research Agenda
The Remnant Logics of Immigrant Illegality (Dissertation)
My dissertation examines how formerly undocumented Asian and Latino immigrants (n=87) experience shifts in their social and legal lives after gaining lawful status. Drawing on in-depth interviews and ethnographic observations across California and Texas, I show that legalization reconfigures—rather than resolves—the exclusionary logics of immigrant illegality.
Immigration Detention Centers
In this co-led collaborative project with Rocio Rosales (Associate Professor of Sociology), we examine the lived experiences of immigrants held in detention facilities across the United States. Through ongoing letter-writing, we have corresponded with over 65 detained immigrants across six US facilities, documenting their experiences of confinement. While the U.S. government characterizes these sites as administrative holding centers, our findings suggest a far more punitive and opaque system—one that detains, fast-tracks deportations, and routinely violates due process. Our first co-authored paper is currently in progress and will be submitted for publication by the end of 2025. We also plan to publish additional papers from this study, including solo-authored work.