The Good Immigrant Myth: How Respectability Politics Divide Us

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What makes someone "deserving" of citizenship? A perfect GPA? Military service? Paying taxes and never making a mistake?

In this episode, we unpack the myth of the “Good Immigrant,” the notion that only exceptional, obedient, and productive immigrants are worthy of staying. We examine the origins of this narrative, its impact on our communities, and why it ultimately serves the interests of systems that profit from our silence and suffering.

From veterans being deported after service to DACA recipients stuck in limbo, we ask: Why do we tie human dignity to perfection? And who gets to decide what “good” even means?

What You’ll Learn

• How the “good immigrant vs. bad immigrant” binary was created and used to control public perception
• Why being respectful, hardworking, and law-abiding doesn’t protect you from detention or deportation
• How trauma within immigrant communities fuels the “I did it the right way” mindset
• Who benefits when immigrants are forced to perform perfection to be seen as human

Real Stories Mentioned

• U.S. Army veteran from Hawaii pressured to self-deport despite 20+ years of residency and military service (NPR, June 2025)
• DACA recipients with no path to permanent status despite full assimilation and contribution to U.S. life
• Asylum seekers denied for not appearing “traumatized enough,” despite fleeing real danger

Call to Action

• Share this episode with someone who believes being “good” is enough
• Reflect on whether you’ve internalized the good immigrant myth, and who it excludes
• Support organizations that advocate for all immigrants, not just the "model" ones
• (e.g., Immigrant Defense Project, United We Dream, and ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project)

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If you’ve ever felt “too much,” “not enough,” or like you don’t fit anywhere, you’re exactly who this story was written for.

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