Traerás tus Documentos (you will bring your documents): navigating the intersections of disability and citizenship status in special education

Abstract

ABSTRACT DisCrit has illuminated the interconnectivity of racism and ableism, though the experiences of undocumented youth and families enrolled in special education are largely unknown. In this paper, we explore the experiences of students at the intersection of disability and migratory status, examining the interplay of fear, schooling, and language use as students pursue college. We use DisCrit to help us understand historical patterns surrounding citizenship and how race, ableism, and documentation status continue to intersect and shape the acknowledgment of which bodies – with which papers – are rendered deserving. Examining interviews with students, researcher memos and fieldnotes, and researcher reflections, we consider the cases of Fernanda, an undocumented high schooler, and Daniel, a 9th grader from a mixed-citizenship status family. We highlight how students at the intersection of migratory status and disability are met with care by teachers and schools, yet remain unsupported in several domains. We also highlight how students experience the movement from entitlement to eligibility in schools, and discuss complications surrounding documentation of disability for disclosure and language. In light of our findings, we suggest implications for research and practice.