The Psychology of Migrant “Illegality”: A General Theory

Abstract

Critical migration studies emerged to trace how restrictive immigration contexts contribute to conditions of migrant “illegality” and deportability. More recently, researchers have turned to examine diversity in migrants’ experiences, revealing how migrant “illegality” and deportability can take varied forms based on different social factors, including migrants’ immigration status, developmental stage, ethno-racial background, gender, and nationality. Yet, despite increasingly nuanced and contextualized accounts of migrants’ lived experiences, the psychology of migrant “illegality” remains under-theorized, as we lack general concepts and frameworks to explain how deportability shapes, and is shaped by, migrants’ psychosocial lives. This article introduces such a framework by drawing upon findings from two ethnographic studies with undocumented migrants in Canada and the United States. Observing common psychosocial patterns in both groups, I propose cycles of deportability as a framework to capture how migrant “illegality” develops at the psychosocial level through repeated occurrences of status-related stressors, which produce both acute and chronic fears that further require distinct agencies and coping strategies. Next, I examine differences in migrants’ cycles of deportability based on their national context and immigrant generation. I conclude by discussing how this framework can help consolidate previous research findings and guide future psychological and critical migration studies.

The divergent adolescent and adult transitions of Latin American undocumented minors

“…In the words of one researcher, “it would be an error to simply cast this community as powerless, vulnerable, and victimized” (Negrón‐Gonzales, 2013, p. 1289). Most undocumented youth develop coping strategies to address the stressors of legal exclusion, including making positive meaning out of negative experiences (Ellis, 2021; Ellis & Chen, 2013; Negrón‐Gonzales, 2013), refocusing their attention on relationships and community (Gonzales, 2016), and remaining optimistic about immigration reform (Ellis, 2021). They also engage in resistance through political involvement, community building, and developing critical consciousness (Abrego, 2011; Martinez & Salazar, 2018; Negrón‐Gonzales, 2013; Seif, 2011; Terriquez et al, 2018).…”

“No Way! Like Only Hispanics are Illegal”: Examining the Racialized Psychosocial Development of Migrant “Illegality” Across Immigrant Groups in the United States

“…To reckon with these challenges, undocumented migrants develop various psychological coping strategies, which often include attempts to downplay, reframe, or ignore status-related concerns, as well as maintain hope for the future. (Ellis, 2021) Taken together, cycles of deportability provide a general theory to help explain the psychosocial dynamics that motivate the development of migrant "illegality" across different ages, groups, and contexts. Ellis (2021) maintains that cycles of deportability begin implicitly in childhood-as children endure status-related stressors without recognizing them as such-and begin to grow increasingly explicit in later years, as undocumented adolescents begin to grasp the meaning of their own and/or parents' status and experience direct, status-related barriers.…”

“…Indeed, both undocumented and U.S.-born citizen children experience fears and/or worries about their parents’ deportation, grow vigilant around police and immigration authorities; confuse immigration with illegality; and adopt stigmatized understandings of themselves and/or their parents (Dreby, 2012, 2015; Rubio-Hernandez & Ayón, 2016). Accordingly, we use Ellis (2021) “cycles of deportability” framework to trace the psychosocial effects of migrant “illegality” across the lifespan as well as explore how these effects “spillover” to citizen children of undocumented parents (Aranda et al, 2014).…”

“…Based on comparative research with undocumented adults and youth in Canada and the United States, Ellis (2021) outlines a general psychological theory of migrant “illegality” that traces the psychosocial dynamics of migrant “illegality” across different developmental periods, social contexts, and immigrant groups. Specifically, building on Gonzales (2011) work, Ellis argues that all undocumented migrants “learn to become illegal” as they experience repeated cycles of deportability (see Figure 1).…”

“…Still, it remains unclear how these circumstances contribute to the psychosocial development of “racialized illegality,” or put differently, how migrant “illegality” develops as a racialized process. This paper draws upon Ellis (2021) framework of “cycles of deportability” to trace racial-ethnic differences in the psychosocial development of migrant “illegality” from childhood to young adulthood. To do this, we analyze qualitative data collected with racially and ethnically diverse young people (14–33 years of age) who grew up with undocumented status and/or in mixed-status families (with at least one undocumented parent) and who were asked to reflect on these experiences.…”