UC Berkeley Course Examines Immigration with Critical Race Theory Focus

A course at UC Berkeley titled “Immigration and Citizenship” aims to explore the intersections of race, immigration law, and societal perceptions of citizenship. Scheduled for the Spring semesters of 2024 and 2025, the course will be taught by immigration defense attorneys Lisa Knox and Christina Lee. The curriculum includes readings that advocate for critical race theory and calls for the abolition of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency.

The course’s description challenges traditional narratives surrounding American identity, questioning the notion that the United States is a “nation of immigrants.” It emphasizes how racial biases have historically influenced immigration laws, particularly regarding individuals categorized as “alien citizens.” The course prompts students to consider why certain groups, specifically non-white Latinos and Asian Americans, are often perceived as outsiders, while individuals of European descent are presumed to belong, regardless of their citizenship status.

One module specifically addresses the Abolish ICE movement, featuring a reading by Sean McElwee titled “It’s time to abolish ICE,” which characterizes the agency as a tool of “white supremacy.” This module invites students to engage critically with the implications of immigration enforcement, reflecting the course’s broader commitment to examining how systemic racism shapes legal frameworks.

Curriculum Highlights and Key Questions

By the second week of classes, students will delve into literature centered on critical race theory, a framework suggesting that racism is embedded in the United States’ foundational and legal systems. Professors Knox and Lee pose essential questions for consideration, such as: “How did ideas of race and ideas of racial superiority shape the emergence of federal immigration law?”

In the module titled “Defining Alien,” the instructors will explore the racial restrictions inherent in naturalization laws, focusing on how legal definitions of “whiteness” have historically limited citizenship rights. A significant reading for this module is by academic John Tehranian, titled “Performing Whiteness: Naturalization Litigation and the Construction of Racial Identity in America.” The professors encourage students to critically evaluate the text by asking, “How did legal definitions of whiteness encourage immigrants to adapt a ‘performative’ model of race and seek assimilation?”

Moreover, the course critiques the terminology surrounding immigration, particularly the phrase “illegal alien,” which the instructors argue has been used to “dehumanize and criminalize noncitizens.” This examination resonates within a broader context, as the far-left has increasingly labeled ICE as a fascist entity, a characterization that the agency disputes.

Impact and Context

As the course prepares to be offered again in Spring 2026, it ignites discussions about the role of education in shaping societal perspectives on immigration. The focus on critical race theory and anti-ICE sentiments reflects a growing trend in academic settings to address systemic inequalities and challenge established narratives.

The course’s unique perspective and its commitment to examining immigration through a critical lens resonate amid ongoing national debates about immigration policy and enforcement. As students engage with these complex issues, they are encouraged to think critically about race, legality, and belonging in the contemporary United States.

This course at UC Berkeley not only provides an academic framework for understanding immigration but also aims to inspire future legal and societal changes regarding how immigration is perceived and enacted in the United States.