Stigma, Displacement, and Acculturation: Examining the Experience of Deportees in Tonga

• In Event: Qualitative Work at the Intersection of Immigration and Crime

Abstract

Tongan- Americans are a small population in the United States who have been migrating to this country for the past several decades. As they assimilate to the new country and culture, some have experienced the American criminal justice system. Tongan- Americans are born in Tonga and have migrated to the United States, face the possibility of deportation after committing a crime. This qualitative research explores the experiences of deportees and their return back to Tonga. The aim of this paper is to shed light on issues of stigma, displacement, acculturation and reentry experience of Tongan American deportees.

Author

• Moana Hafoka, Washington State University