Francisco Villegas

Francisco Villegas is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Kalamazoo College. His work focuses on immigration, race, membership/citizenship, and the illegalization of migrants. He holds a PhD in Sociology from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, a MA in Mexican American Studies from San Jose State University, and a BA in Psychology and Social Behavior from UC Irvine.

His research explores schools as border zones, undocumented student rights, and the socio-legal dynamics of migrant marginalization. Notable works include ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’: Examining the illegalization of undocumented students in Toronto (2018) and Seeds of Hope: Creating a Future in the Shadows (2016). He previously lectured at the University of Toronto Scarborough.

Key research themes include:

• Undocumented student access to education
• Racialized legal frameworks
• School policies on membership
• Migrant resilience strategies

His scholarship critically analyzes how institutions reproduce exclusion through policies like ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ while advocating for transformative educational practices.