Immigration is a recurring and divisive topic in the United States, leading many to assume that undocumented immigrants live in constant fear of authorities, evading surveillance and punishment. While it is true that immigrants face societal exclusion through surveillance mechanisms, this perspective only tells part of the story. Asad L. Asad reveals that many individuals with sanctionable status cannot, and sometimes do not wish to, evade these institutions or the formal records they create. For many immigrants, especially those with children, avoiding such institutions is a luxury they cannot afford. Through extensive interviews and ethnographic observations in Dallas County, Texas, along with analyses of national survey data, Asad examines how and why immigrants engage with surveilling institutions. Focusing on mixed-status families, particularly immigrant parents, he argues that their engagement is driven by a desire for societal inclusion as much as by fear of exclusion. By exploring how immigrants navigate and utilize the records produced from these interactions, Asad uncovers various ways they either reinforce or resist their sanctionable status within the framework of state surveillance.
