Latinx immigrants raising children in the land of the free: Parenting in the context of persecution and fear

Abstract

Anti-immigrant rhetoric generated by the sociopolitical climate under the current U.S. presidential administration has exacerbated the fear of deportation and family separation within the unauthorized Latinx community. Consequently, millions of families, including U.S. citizen children living in mixed-status households, are experiencing stressful environments as they adapt and respond to their social context. This study explored how harsh immigration discourse impacts mixed-status families living in a new-immigrant destination. Twenty-two unauthorized mothers participated in semi-structured interviews regarding their experiences as immigrants raising children in the U.S. Two main themes arose from this analysis: (1) ever-present fear and stress and (2) obeying the law and avoiding others. Parents explained how they had been living in fear since the elections took place, and the different scenarios they had to prepare for in case of deportation. Moreover, some parents choose to minimize conversations around incidents happening in their community to avoid additional stress for children, whereas others addressed children’s concerns to reassure them and placate their apprehension. Participants also reported avoiding unnecessary trips outside of the home to prevent interactions with others, especially law enforcement. These results provide important insights regarding the experiences of unauthorized Latinx immigrant parents in the context of sociopolitical adversity. Due to the limited resources often available in new immigrant destinations, social workers must leverage their networks to support families undergoing difficult transitions with special attention to altered family structures and parenting practices. As unauthorized parents attempt to withstand the double burden of basic survival and effective parenting, it is imperative that practitioners provide tools for parents to effectively engage with their children to sustain healthy environments.

The Role of Documentation Status Concerns, Perceived Discrimination, and Social Support on Latinx Adults’ Physical and Mental Health

“…Qualitative data such as interviews can provide additional information to help researchers and practitioners understand the impact that these events have on the Latinx community. For example, Trump exacerbated the feelings of mistrust of law enforcement and documentation concerns with his extreme anti-immigrant rhetoric and threats to TPS and DACA programs [ 52 , 53 ]. This form of leadership encouraged conservative Americans to become more vocal about anti-immigrant sentiments, which became more pronounced in public places such as schools, government offices, and protests [ 54 ].…”

Documentation status socialization among Latinx immigrant parents

“…Other studies have documented the widespread fear that has overtaken the Latinx community in the era of the Trump administration (2016–2020). His xenophobic rhetoric (e.g., “Build the wall”) has created an atmosphere where displays of discrimination against immigrants are more acceptable (Cross et al., 2020; Cross et al. in press, Rodriguez et al., 2019). As a result, besides fearing deportation, some of the undocumented also feared maltreatment and consequently further isolated themselves (Gorman, 2017).…”

Labeling in a Latinx Community: Public Health Implications for Youth and Role in Community Narratives

“…Both youth and mothers in study the importance of "staying on the right path" and the literal loss of life and future opportunity for young people who receive stigmatizing labels. One could hypothesize that strict conception of "good" and "bad" is one form of no-margin-for-error messaging given conditions of over-policing and criminalization of youth of color compared to white youth [31].…”