Honorable Mention: Gustavus Myers Book Awards, 2007

No One Is Illegal debunks the leading ideas behind the often-violent right-wing backlash against immigrants, revealing their deep roots in U.S. history.

This vital book highlights the history of white vigilante violence in the U.S., drawing parallels with today’s Minutemen Project; examines the role of U.S. corporations in the Mexican economy, and the role of immigrant labor in the U.S. economy; reveals how patterns in U.S. immigration policy and campaigns to scapegoat immigrant workers are shaped by the needs of business and politicians; and offers an insightful analysis of the most recent battles over immigrant rights.

The authors also remember the long tradition of resistance to vigilante and state-sponsored racism among immigrants organizing in the factories and the fields, and chart a course toward justice and equality for immigrants in the U.S.