A Criminological Analysis of the “White Supremacy to Anti-Immigrant Violence Pathway”

White supremacy consists of intricate ideologies, systems, privileges, and personal beliefs that result in unequal outcomes based on race in various aspects of life, such as wealth, freedom, health, and happiness (Belew & Gutiérrez, 2021). This dissertation explores the manifestation of white supremacy across various societal levels and its consequent harm and violence against people of color, immigrants, and particularly immigrants of color from Latin America. Here, I coin the term “white supremacy to anti-immigrant violence pathway” to examine how white supremacy has intertwined with our institutions and society, demonstrating how the exclusion and policing of immigrants of color sustain white supremacy in our society. The central question of this dissertation was: “How do manifestations of white supremacy lead to anti-immigrant perceptions and violence toward immigrants of color?” In three parts, the dissertation highlights specific processes, practices, and actions at the macro, meso, and micro levels that contribute to this pathway. The work is guided by different theoretical frameworks, including literature on framing, Blalock’s power threat theory, and a state crime framework. The chapters employ mixed methods, including content analysis, critical discourse analysis, geocoded analysis, and autoethnographic reflection. The dissertation engages with a range of artifacts, such as federal immigration laws, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Memorandum of Agreement, primary and publicly available data from Constitutional Sheriffs’ social media platforms, and the ACLU dataset documenting fatal encounters of migrants at U.S. borders. Part One shows how white supremacy is codified at the macro level and reinforced at the meso level through ICE agreements with local sheriff departments. It specifically examined how elected Constitutional Sheriffs who have signed the 287(g) ICE agreement propagate grave mistruths, and discriminatory rhetoric about migrants. Results show that these sheriffs frame immigrants as “military-aged men” who are “criminals,” “terrorists,” and “spies” from “special interest countries,” posing a threat to U.S. citizens. They also deem immigrants unworthy due to their “illegal” entry into the U.S. and spread simplistic messages about drug and human trafficking attributed to the “Open Border.” Part Two contextualizes the reality of fatal encounters involving Latin American migrants in three states at the U.S. Southwest border: New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona. Geocoding the ACLU data on fatal encounters at the Southwest border, results show that migrants are dying in specific hotspots at the hands of the U.S. Border Patrol, who enforce immigration laws in those areas. This part demonstrates how white supremacy perpetuates violence from the macro level to the individual level, emphasizing the role of overarching laws and agencies in shaping law enforcement actions. These actions result in individual incidents in specific areas that experience increased anti-immigrant harm and violence. Part Three is an autoethnography reflecting on my experiences as a Norwegian foreign national researching anti-immigrant discourse, harm, and violence. It delves into my own immigration experiences and privileges, enhancing the reader’s understanding of the systemic and nearly unavoidable “illegal” journeys many Latin American migrants undertake.