Stratified Entry into Illegality: How Immigration Policy Shapes Being Undocumented.

This article examines how the mode of entry into the United States shapes the experiences and legal trajectories of undocumented immigrant young adults, introducing the concept of "stratified entry into illegality." Based on 105 interviews with undocumented or formerly undocumented immigrants in New York City, the study highlights that those who entered without inspection (EWIs) face criminalization, mandatory re-entry bans, and more limited pathways to legal status compared to visa overstayers, who generally have greater access to family-based sponsorship and status adjustment. The research situates these immigration dynamics within broader global regimes of racialized criminalization and inequality rooted in colonial and neocolonial power relations, emphasizing how race, class, nationality, and gender intersect to produce unequal opportunities for legalization and reinforce immigrant precarity. Despite some temporary relief provided by programs like Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and advance parole, the findings reveal persistent structural barriers that disproportionately affect less privileged migrants and shape their fears, relationships, and future plans.