This paper synthesises recent educational research to explore the integration experiences of newcomer students in the United States of America. The authors examine the barriers and sources of support that are perceived to either hamper or facilitate the social and academic integration and psychological well-being of these students, and in so doing, investigate how academic literature positions newcomers in comparison to the larger societal discourse that perceives them as outsiders. The review concludes with a presentation of the implications of the analysis for both educational theory and practice in K-12 schools.