A Family Tradition: Giving Meaning to Family Unity and Decreasing Illegal Immigration Through Anthropology

Authors

Micah Bennett, Indiana University Maurer School of LawFollow

Document Type

Note

Publication Date

Spring 2014

Publication Citation

89 Indiana Law Journal 885 (2014)

Abstract

My Note explores the family-preference provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act and argues that they are far too limited, especially in light of the “family unity” policy that underscores the law. Using Mexico as a model, the Note relies on the discipline of anthropology to explain that family inherently drives immigration, and it refers to an allegory from a Mexican immigrant to demonstrate how the INA is ineffective. It then argues that immigration law could learn from anthropology—both its scholarship and its disciplinary ideals—to craft a more effective and better informed immigration law, which would further the family unity policy and concomitantly reduce illegal immigration.

Recommended Citation

Bennett, Micah (2014) "A Family Tradition: Giving Meaning to Family Unity and Decreasing Illegal Immigration Through Anthropology," Indiana Law Journal: Vol. 89: Iss. 2, Article 9.
Available at: https://www.repository.law.indiana.edu/ilj/vol89/iss2/9