It is puzzling why Fujianese are willing to pay seventy thousand dollars, which could entitle them to a comfortable life in China, to be smuggled to the United States. Despite the voluminous body of research, the life of Fujianese illegal immigrants has not been systematically explored. This study confirmed that people smuggling is a phenomenon that combines cultural, economic, and political factors. Furthermore, Fujianese who came to seek an American dream have lost something much more valuable than what they have gained, such as their youth and family connections.
In addressing the smuggling strategies, causes, and experiences of Fujianese immigrants, this thesis has relied on interviews with former illegal immigrants from Fujian Province, China, as well as literature reviews. The respondents in this study are average people among tens of thousands of illegal immigrants. Their true stories provide a vivid picture of Fujianese emigration.
","abstract_html":"<p>It is puzzling why Fujianese are willing to pay seventy thousand dollars, which could entitle them to a comfortable life in China, to be smuggled to the United States. Despite the voluminous body of research, the life of Fujianese illegal immigrants has not been systematically explored. This study confirmed that people smuggling is a phenomenon that combines cultural, economic, and political factors. Furthermore, Fujianese who came to seek an American dream have lost something much more valuable than what they have gained, such as their youth and family connections.</p> <p>In addressing the smuggling strategies, causes, and experiences of Fujianese immigrants, this thesis has relied on interviews with former illegal immigrants from Fujian Province, China, as well as literature reviews. The respondents in this study are average people among tens of thousands of illegal immigrants. Their true stories provide a vivid picture of Fujianese emigration.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Lin, Miao"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Arts (MA)","degree_level":"Open Access Thesis","degree_discipline":"Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Paul Leighton, PhD, Chair","Liqun Cao, PhD","Roger Kernsmith, PhD"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2005,"date_issued":"2005-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2005-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:24Z","subjects":["Illegal aliens","United States","Chinese Americans social conditions","Criminology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/theses/25","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Paul Leighton, PhD, Chair","Liqun Cao, PhD","Roger Kernsmith, PhD"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Lin, Miao"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts (MA)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Illegal aliens","United States","Chinese Americans social conditions","Criminology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/25"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["It is puzzling why Fujianese are willing to pay seventy thousand dollars, which could entitle them to a comfortable life in China, to be smuggled to the United States. Despite the voluminous body of research, the life of Fujianese illegal immigrants has not been systematically explored. This study confirmed that people smuggling is a phenomenon that combines cultural, economic, and political factors. Furthermore, Fujianese who came to seek an American dream have lost something much more valuable than what they have gained, such as their youth and family connections.
In addressing the smuggling strategies, causes, and experiences of Fujianese immigrants, this thesis has relied on interviews with former illegal immigrants from Fujian Province, China, as well as literature reviews. The respondents in this study are average people among tens of thousands of illegal immigrants. Their true stories provide a vivid picture of Fujianese emigration.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["From the lucky land to the beautiful country: Illegal immigration of Fujianese to the United States"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Paul Leighton, PhD, Chair","Liqun Cao, PhD","Roger Kernsmith, PhD"],"dc:creator":["Lin, Miao"],"dc:description.abstract":["It is puzzling why Fujianese are willing to pay seventy thousand dollars, which could entitle them to a comfortable life in China, to be smuggled to the United States. Despite the voluminous body of research, the life of Fujianese illegal immigrants has not been systematically explored. This study confirmed that people smuggling is a phenomenon that combines cultural, economic, and political factors. Furthermore, Fujianese who came to seek an American dream have lost something much more valuable than what they have gained, such as their youth and family connections.
In addressing the smuggling strategies, causes, and experiences of Fujianese immigrants, this thesis has relied on interviews with former illegal immigrants from Fujian Province, China, as well as literature reviews. The respondents in this study are average people among tens of thousands of illegal immigrants. Their true stories provide a vivid picture of Fujianese emigration.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/25"],"dc:subject":["Illegal aliens","United States","Chinese Americans social conditions","Criminology"],"dc:title":["From the lucky land to the beautiful country: Illegal immigration of Fujianese to the United States"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Arts (MA)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:24Z"}