【Article by International College of Innovation】

Taipei, Taiwan — April 24, 2026. In an era of rising border walls and complex humanitarian shifts, how do we distinguish between a "legal violation" and a "criminal act"? On April 24, the Migration and Globalization course at National Chengchi University (NCCU), led by Professor Ou Tzu-Chi and supported by the USR project at the International College of Innovation (ICI), hosted an immersive flash course titled "ICE Detention and Immigration in the United States."

Featuring independent scholar and community organizer Ibby Han (Charlottesville, VA) and ICI Professor Michelle Kuo, the workshop moved beyond traditional lecturing. Instead, it functioned as a "reflexive laboratory," pushing students to map global migration crises onto their own lives and local contexts.

From Spectators to Strategists: Community Resistance

The session opened with an interactive "global-to-local" mapping exercise led by Ms. Ibby Han. Rather than treating deportation as a distant news headline, students were challenged to analyze migration conflicts within their own immediate surroundings. Ms. Han reframed the historical narrative, asserting that "deportation is not a fleeting phenomenon, but a persistent structural tool."

The room’s energy shifted as students explored the tactile reality of grassroots resistance. Ms. Han shared vivid examples of community "alarm systems"—from the use of whistles to alert neighbors of ICE activity to the strategic use of noise and music to disrupt the operations of enforcement agents. By analyzing these "weapons of the weak," students were forced to reflect on the tension between state law and community solidarity, asking themselves: What does it mean to protect a neighbor when the state labels them an outsider?

Decoding the Language of Emotion and Law

Professor Michelle Kuo further deepened the reflexive process through a linguistic workshop. Students were tasked with deconstructing political rhetoric, identifying the emotional "weight" of words used to describe immigrants. By categorizing phrases as "positive" or "negative," students confronted their own subconscious biases and the power of language to dehumanize.

The climax of the course involved a rigorous debate on the legal status of the person. "Is being undocumented a crime?" Professor Kuo asked, sparking an intense dialogue. The discussion clarified a vital legal distinction often lost in public discourse: that the presence without legal authorization is a civil-law violation, not a criminal offense. This revelation served as a pivot point for the class, encouraging students to evaluate not just U.S. policy but the justice systems of the countries they currently inhabit.

Cultivating Critical Global Citizens

This flash course was not merely a history lesson; it was a call to active engagement. By blending historical data with interactive "situational" learning, the event empowered students to synthesize their personal experiences with global legal frameworks.

"These events do more than expand our knowledge," noted one participating student. "They force us to look at the world with a critical eye and ask who the system is actually protecting." As the session concluded, the consensus among the ICI student body was clear: the complexity of migration requires a continuous, recurring space for critical dialogue—fostering a generation of thinkers ready to confront systemic injustice with both empathy and evidence.