Unframing immigration: Looking through the educational space of contemporary art

This article uses the lens of contemporary visual art as a counternarrative to explore the racialization of immigration in the United States and its relationship to education. Drawing on critical race theory, I argue that today several artists use their artistic practice to intervene strategically in the immigration debates. These artistic interventions are pedagogical because they open spaces for students to address the topic of immigration in both secondary schools and universities. As pedagogical sites, these art practices precipitate debate, dissent, and dialogue about immigration in the United States, generating another avenue for civic engagement, which is a crucial component of democracy.