Co-membership in immigration gatekeeping interviews: construction, ratification and refutation

Abstract

I analyze the construction of co-membership in a high-stakes gatekeeping encounter: US permanent residency (or `green card') interviews. Co-membership is sometimes attempted (intentionally or not) by visa applicants in this critical face-to-face encounter in order to create rapport and a favorable outcome. I show how co-membership is formed or avoided through the following steps: (i) an aspect of social identity is foregrounded through small talk and/or nonverbal means; (ii) the aspect is acknowledged as shared by the interactants and therefore a potential basis for co-membership; and (iii) the attempt at co-membership is ratified, not ratified, or actively refuted by one or all of the interactants. Excerpts are drawn from videotaped visa interviews and audiotaped playback sessions with one US immigration officer and 51 visa applicants. I examine cases in which the officer ratifies, does not ratify and refutes co-membership, and how this affects the interview tone and outcome for the applicant.