Crimmigration Practices and Narratives Resisting and Justifying Mass Deportation in the Central Valley of California

This study focuses on the narratives of family members who have experienced the deportation of a relative. These narratives describe the intersection of crimmigration practices and the events that led to the removal of their loved ones, while exploring how these narratives contribute to forming racial projects. The narratives of 57 interviewees in the Central Valley of California reveal how minor traffic violations resulted in events that led to the deportation of these individuals—showing how the intersection of crimmigration practices plays out in people’s lives. The marginalization and impoverishment of these families pose challenges to resisting both racial projects and crimmigration practices. This study contributes to the literature on crimmigration and racial projects through the analysis of narratives of individuals directly impacted by deportations, showing how immigrants from Latino communities experience daily crimmigration practices which contribute to the establishment of racial projects.