Immigration Policy Vulnerability Linked to Adverse Mental Health Among Latino Day Laborers

Abstract

Latino day laborers in the United States are socially and economically vulnerable due to exclusionary immigration policies. Using data from a multi-mode survey, we examine the relationship between immigration policy legal vulnerability and mental health outcomes among 138 Latino, male day laborers (mean age = 45.65, SD = 12.05). Multivariable linear and logistic regression models separately estimated the effect of legal vulnerability, as measured by the Perceived Immigration Policy Effects Scale, on anxiety and depression symptoms and a positive depression and anxiety screening, respectively. Approximately 26.1% and 27.9% of day laborers reported depression and anxiety symptoms, respectively. In each adjusted model, we find a positive relationship between legal vulnerability and adverse mental health. Immigration policy legal vulnerability is associated with more depression and anxiety symptoms among Latino day laborers. Policies to reduce legal vulnerability, such as pathways to citizenship and employment authorization, may support Latino day laborers' mental health outcomes.

Facing a dual threat: Pandemic stress and immigration policy vulnerability on mental health among Latinx immigrant parents

“…Though unlikely, there is the possibility that Latinx parents contending with pandemic stress, increased policy vulnerability, and anxiety and depressive symptoms were more likely to participate in the study, making these associations spurious. However, previous studies have found that perceived immigration policy vulnerability and pandemic stress are independently associated with increased depressive and anxiety symptoms among undocumented populations (Haro-Ramos & Rodriguez, 2022;Serafini et al, 2021;Velarde Pierce et al, 2021), which increases confidence in our findings. Although we assessed participants past-month and past-2-week symptoms, we cannot entirely exclude the possibility of recall bias.…”

Anti‐immigration policies of the trump administration: A review of Latinx mental health and resilience in the face of structural violence

“…Quantitatively, increased odds or frequency of depression or depressive symptoms were reported in six included articles. Populations who reported these internalizing symptoms included Latinx adults awaiting deportation proceedings (Bailey et al., 2021), Latinx children with higher levels of mistrust of others in their community (Cross et al., 2020), male Latinx day laborers with higher levels of legal vulnerability (Haro‐Ramos & Rodriguez, 2021), Latinx adolescents and adults with a close social tie who had been deported (Pinedo & Valdez., 2020; Roche et al., 2020), and sexual minorities who are also ethnic minorities (Krueger et al., 2021). Depressive outcomes were thus pervasive across age groups within the Latinx community during the Trump administration.…”

“…In fact, 52% of all negative emotions related to immigration in this sample were fear‐based (Wray‐Lake et al., 2018). Of the three quantitative articles reporting anxiety levels, populations included Latinx adults in deportation proceedings (Bailey et al., 2021), male Latinx day laborers with higher levels of legal vulnerability (Haro‐Ramos & Rodriguez, 2021), and Latinx adults with a close social tie who had been deported (Pinedo & Valdez., 2020). Of the 21 included articles, only two articles discussed somatic symptoms and internalizing symptoms broadly and their associations with a generalized stress response to immigration actions/news (Bailey et al., 2021; West et al., 2021).…”

“…In multiple studies, participants described the impacts of social stressors on internalizing symptoms. For Latinx day laborers, the confluence of discrimination with social exclusion and threat of deportation (also called legal vulnerability) increased their risk by four times for developing clinically significant levels of anxiety (Haro‐Ramos & Rodriguez, 2021). Similarly for youth, peer victimization (including both overt bullying and relational exclusion) was an independent risk factor for increased internalizing symptoms in Latinx boys and girls (even when accounting for other predictors) (West et al., 2021).…”

“…Among adult Latinx samples, family support, community support (e.g., neighbors, wider ethnic community, community‐based organizations, church pastors), and general social support were protective against worse mental health outcomes and fostered well‐being. Participant samples in these studies included transgender Latinx adults (Abreu et al., 2021), Latinx immigrants who recently arrived to the U.S. (Vasquez Guzman et al., 2020), Latinx parents and families of varying residency statuses (Arce et al., 2020, Benavides et al., 2021), Latinx day laborers (Haro‐Ramos & Rodriguez, 2021), Latinx individuals in deportation proceedings (Bailey et al., 2021) and Latinx DACA students (Moreno et al., 2021; Monico & Duncan, 2020). While Haro‐Ramos and Rodriguez (2021) specifically identified that having a spouse was protective against screening positive for depression or anxiety, other articles discussed qualitatively how different forms of social support (such as instrumental, emotional, and financial) helped Latinx individuals feel a sense of community, strength, and belonging despite adversity.…”