Extortion, Civic Action, and Political Participation among Guatemalan Deportees

• In Event: Electoral Behavior and Political Participation of Immigrants

Abstract

How does extortion affect political and civic engagement? Extortion is both a form of victimization and a type of economic hardship, yet existing literature is inconclusive about how both phenomena affect public participation. We argue that extortion as an economic shock will increase grievances, thereby increasing engagement. In contrast, extortion as victimization will increase fear of crime, thereby depressing engagement. Using novel survey data from migrants deported to Guatemala by the U.S. government, we leverage the quasi-random experience of extortion during migration to test our expectations. We find evidence of two distinct, competing mechanisms linking extortion and civic/political behaviors. Extortion damages respondents' economic conditions, and economic difficulty is correlated with higher civic action and political participation. Additionally, extortion predicts greater fear of crime upon return to Guatemala, and such fear is correlated with higher civic engagement as well. The mobilizing effect of perceived economic hardship is statistically more robust as a mediator, especially for apolitical civic engagement. More precisely, our data show a direct, positive relationship between extortion and interest in a range of public actions, including attending community meetings, volunteering, and protest.

Deported migrants' level of engagement in politics and civil society after forced repatriation has implications for the health of their home communities and democratic institutions. Only limited data exist on deportees' reintegration into civic life in their home countries, despite large numbers of migrants deported annually from the United States to Latin America and from Europe to North Africa, the Balkans, and the Middle East. Our results highlight a vicious cycle: economic hardship is a main driver of migration through Mexico to the U.S., and extortion -- particularly for deported migrants -- compounds and extends economic need.

The results from our analysis provide insights for policymakers and programs working to support displaced persons. Additionally, given the volume of migration to the United States from Central America and deportation from the United States back to Central America, it is crucial to understand the impact that forcibly relocating migrants has on deportees' interactions with their “home” communities and the prospects for stable governance there. Extortion experienced while migrating has long term financial consequences for deportees, which may ultimately shape their reintegration into their home countries.

Authors

• Elaine K. Denny, University of California, Merced

• David Andres Dow, Naval Postgraduate School

• Gabriella Levy, University of Washington

• Mateo Villamizar Chaparro, Universidad Católica de Uruguay