“Vivimos en Jaula de Oro”: The Impact of State-Level Legislation on Immigrant Latino Families

ABSTRACT

This study sought to learn from Latino immigrant parents which and how state-level immigration policies impact their families. Fifty-four Latino immigrant parents participated in interviews. Constructivist grounded theory methods were used to complete the analysis. Results indicate that fear of detainment, deportation, and family separation affects participants emotionally and behaviorally. Participants experience exploitive practices in the workplace and through traffic infractions. Social support networks are constantly changing and weakened when families relocate in search of immigrant friendly communities. Simultaneously, parents develop strategies to protect their families against stringent immigration enforcement. Implications for practice, policy, and research are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Latino families
• immigrant families
• state-level legislation
• restrictive policies
• qualitative research

Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank the participants for sharing their experiences.

Funding

This study was funded by the Foundation for Child Development.