Dr. Obinna’s research sits at the intersectionalities of immigration, race, gender and social inequality. These research areas have taken on particular significance in recent years and are perhaps even more salient in the current political and social landscape. Her research has been published in high impact journals like Ethnic and Racial Studies, Race Ethnicity and Education, International Migration, Latino Studies, Migration Letters and Violence against Women.
Her current work highlights the impacts of legality and status (either as undocumented, legal migrants or as citizens) for racial minorities. Particularly this work describes how how status defines the type of lives racial minorities will have access to in society. This ongoing research examines the complex visa structure for employment and family-reunification immigrants. It also examines the impact(s) of asylum policy and who is granted access to it. Her publication in Politics and Policy highlights the dangers of policies like Title 42 which deny asylum seekers their legal right to seek sanctuary. Within a framework which interrogates race, ethnicity and nationality, this work argues that social policy is intertwined with legality, status and public health. |