Identification of inside and outside: Understanding “undocumented” and “illegal” as rhetorical markers of stigmatized exclusion for people without papers

When considering citizenship and the authority to belong to a particular national order, discourse is critical in influencing how individuals navigate the intercultural boundaries of collective identity. This paper examines how the terms “undocumented” and “illegal” function as ideological markers and symbolic resources through which political and cultural identities, citizenship, and categories of exclusion are rhetorically constructed, particularly for marginalized groups. These labels, which are pervasive in American politics and media, contribute to stigmatizing narratives about undocumented immigrants and their perceived place in American society. Drawing on Burke's concept of identification, I explore how these politicized labels construct identities that are positioned outside the realm of cultural and national belonging. Additionally, using a culture-centered approach, I situate these rhetorical practices within broader systems of power and examine how undocumented immigrants contest exclusion.