Coming of Age on the Margins: Mental Health and Wellbeing Among Latino Immigrant Young Adults Eligible for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

Abstract

Undocumented immigrant young adults growing up in the United States face significant challenges. For those qualified, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program's protections may alleviate stressors, with implications for their mental health and wellbeing (MHWB). We conducted nine focus groups with 61 DACA-eligible Latinos (ages 18-31) in California to investigate their health needs. Participants reported MHWB as their greatest health concern and viewed DACA as beneficial through increasing access to opportunities and promoting belonging and peer support. Participants found that DACA also introduced unanticipated challenges, including greater adult responsibilities and a new precarious identity. Thus, immigration policies such as DACA may influence undocumented young adults' MHWB in expected and unexpected ways. Research into the impacts of policy changes on young immigrants' MHWB can guide stakeholders to better address this population's health needs. MHWB implications include the need to reduce fear of deportation and increase access to services.

Dreams deferred: Contextualizing the health and psychosocial needs of undocumented Asian and Pacific Islander young adults in Northern California

“…This general mistrust within the API community, even within their own ethnic groups, decreased bonding social capital and led to feelings of social isolation among young adult APIs. This is in stark contrast to studies among undocumented Latino young adults populations that found strong peer support (Siemons et al, 2016) and strong social solidarity among broader Latino immigrant populations (Hoyt, 2009).…”

“…Community-based organizations and legal service providers in API and Latino immigrant communities have attributed this disparity to API's increased sense of shame and stigma, loss of status within their communities due to their documentation status, and mistrust in governments (Rusin, 2015). Undocumented young adult Latinos, on the other hand, have been found to have high community social support (Siemons et al, 2016). Undocumented immigrants, and APIs in particular, live in the shadows of society, and there is a need to better understand how social ties to families and communities impact health access and status.…”

Transitory Legality: The Health Implication of Ending DACA

“…Because transitory youth now feel more vulnerable than when they were undocumented, they reported curtailing their interaction with the health care system and worsening mental health status. Previous research on social capital showed that despite divisions among the Latino communities 46 , intra-ethnic support among undocumented Latino communities was relatively strong 47 . Our results further seem to indicate that their transitory legal status and perceptions of social stigma as a result are undermining their feelings of community cohesion, causing them to experience feelings of alienation even from their peers.…”

“…Health care access, use of services, and experiences among undocumented Mexicans and other Latinos. Archives of Internal Medicine, 167 (21), 2354-2360. 16 North, Anna.…”

“…Studies have shown showed that once individuals are offered temporary relief from deportation, physical and mental health outcomes improve for undocumented individuals and their families. 21 Even though PRWORA rendered non-citizen legal residents ineligible to receive social benefits, such as Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), or to apply for health insurance through health exchanges set up by the Affordable Care Act, non-citizen legal residents are eligible under DACA to receive coverage through their job or higher education institutions. 22 This access to coverage, albeit limited, has been found to have a positive impact on the physical health outcomes of its recipients.…”