Legal Status, Civic Associations, and the Political Participation of Latino Young Adults

• In Event: 098 - Section on Latino/a Sociology Paper Session. Latina/o Civic and Political Participation

Abstract

Young undocumented immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as minors have received significant attention from media as well as government officials. The activism of these undocumented, mostly Latino, immigrant young adults stands in contrast to the fairly low-levels of political participation among young adults, especially those of Latino origin who tend to encounter socioeconomic and other challenges to involvement in the public arena. What are some of the social mechanisms that contribute to the political participation of undocumented and other Latino young adults? What is the role of legal status in predicting patterns of political participation among Latino young adults? In seeking to identify the factors that facilitate the activism among Latino young adults, this study relies on empirical analysis survey data from a randomly selected and representative sample of 1021 Latino young adults, as well as a purposive sample of 370 young undocumented Latino immigrant rights activists in California. Survey data are complemented by semi-structured interviews of 112 survey respondents. Findings suggest that the effects of legal status on Latino young adults’ participation may depend on the context of their involvement. Further, results show that like their politically engaged, college-educated Latino counterparts, undocumented activists’ participation in the public sphere is facilitated by their prior involvement in public-oriented high school volunteer associations. At the same time, immigrant rights organizations play an important role in expanding undocumented young adults’ civic capacities, helping them develop a politicized identity based on their legal status, and connecting them to multiple opportunities for participation.

Author

• Veronica Terriquez, University of Southern California