Growing up Without Status: The Integration of Children in Mixed‐Status Families

Abstract

Over the past three decades, a central new challenge confronting millions of children of immigrants has emerged: growing up in a mixed‐status family in which at least one member lacks legal authorization to live and work in the United States. A body of recent research argues that unauthorized immigrant status is the fundamental determinant of integration for unauthorized immigrants, with intergenerational consequences for their U.S.‐born children. We discuss the immigration and other policies that create the particular social context within which unauthorized immigration status becomes so detrimental for integration. Specifically, we focus on federal and state policies that undermine the very factors thought to protect children and support the integration of new generations of Americans: families and social networks, economic resources and opportunities, and health. We conclude with recommendations for future research.

Barriers to and facilitators of community participation among Latinx migrants with disabilities in the United States and Latinx migrant workers in Canada: An ecological analysis

“…Furthermore, some Latinx live in mixed status households—meaning some family members are documented and others are not—and may not seek services out of fear. Due to the current socio‐political environment and a fear of discrimination or deportation, they prefer to keep a low profile and limit their participation in the community (Hamilton et al, 2019; Langhout et al, 2018; Nienhusser & Oshio, 2019).…”

A Virus Without Papers: Understanding COVID-19 and the Impact on Immigrant Communities

“…We also know that frontline workers deemed essential to meet our basic reproductive needs have faced enormous personal risk to keep their jobs and the economy running (Kane and Tomer 2021;Ramos et al 2020;Roberts et al 2020;Sönmez et al 2020). When combined with long-existing systemic racism (DiMaggio et al 2020;Kullar et al 2020;Van Dorn, Cooney, and Sabin 2020) and the precariousness of immigration status (Asad 2020;Chilton et al 2009;Hamilton, Patler, and Hale 2019), we argue that immigrant communities are one of the most vulnerable populations in the United States during the pandemic.…”

“…We spoke with people who work with refugees, asylum seekers, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) beneficiaries, undocumented residents, and others. Disentangling one type of immigrant from another or even from native-born citizens is extremely complicated (Brabeck and Xu 2010; Hamilton, Patler, and Hale 2019; Warren and Kerwin 2017). In particular, we seek to draw attention to mixed-status families—that is, those with both undocumented and US citizen or lawful permanent resident (LPR) members.…”

“…Children, in particular, suffer from their parents’ lack of status. For example, they are less likely to have access to the food benefits and health care to which they are entitled because their parents are fearful of drawing attention to themselves or are unaware their children qualify for such resources (Chilton et al 2009; Hamilton, Patler, and Hale 2019). This means that there are long-term, intergenerational consequences for growing up without status or with a parent without status.…”

Health Consequences of Laws and Public Policies That Target, or Protect, Marginalized Populations

“…Several recent reviews have summarized some of this work by reviewing the ways that laws and policies are related to the health of specific vulnerable communities. Examples of communities covered by previous reviews include the LGB community (Hatzenbuehler, ) and those holding stigmatized legal statuses, including being an unauthorized immigrant (Asad & Clair, ; Hamilton, Patler, & Hale, ; Perreira & Pedroza, ). However, no review has focused on this topic across several groups (e.g., immigrants, Blacks, and sexual minorities, as I do here).…”