Undocumented Immigrant Youth: Identity Negotiations, Feelings of Belonging, and Emotional Well-being

• In Event: 130 - Section on Racial and Ethnic Minorities Roundtable Session (one-hour).
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 06. Race, Ethnicity and Immigration

Abstract

Using data from 17 in-depth interviews with members of the 1.5 immigrant generation who are undocumented, this paper examines the experiences of members of this specific group by examining their overlapping identities (e.g., as members of racial minority groups, as sexual minorities, as well as identities rooted in being undocumented). We further examine how these identities relate to their feelings of belonging to US society that we argue shape their emotional well-being, including the psychological and social struggles of fitting into a society that they might perceive rejects them. Moreover, our sample involves members of the immigrant rights movement, which allows us to also explore how involvement in this movement affects their emotional well-being.

Authors

• Elizabeth M. Aranda, University of South Florida

• Isabel Sousa-Rodriguez, University of South Florida

• Crystalee Valentin, University of South Florida

• Jena Keenan, University of South Florida