¿Hoy Marchamos, Mañana Votamos? Effects of Increased Deportations on Latina/os’ Political Engagement

• In Event: 342 - Section on International Migration Paper Session. Social Effects of Immigrant Detention, Removal, and Return

Abstract

Over the past 20 years, the detention and deportation of Central American and Mexican migrants have risen exponentially in the United States, and Latin American migrants’ fear of deportation has increased accordingly. Fear of deportation (FOD) has repercussions for migrants and their families, friends, and communities, psychologically and culturally as well as economically and politically. However, few scholars have addressed the effects of deportation threats and migrant “deportability” (De Genova 2002) on Latina/os’ political practices and civic engagement. This project unites Mahler and Pessar’s (2001) “gendered geographies of power” and De Genova’s (2002) “deportability” with scholarship on political engagement and social citizenship to explore the relationship between immigrant detention, deportation, and political participation using a nationally representative sample from the Pew Hispanic Center’s 2010 National Survey of Latinos. Latina/os’ acquaintance with deportees or detainees and their experiences of discrimination increase their FOD. Consistent with previous literature, these relationships are mediated by citizenship as well as immigration status. Furthermore, encounters with discrimination and immigration control agents increase Latina/os’ predicted odds of attending protests or demonstrations in support of immigration reform and their odds of discussing immigration policy. Conversely, while FOD is predictive of attendance at immigration reform marches and protests, it does not significantly affect Latina/os’ likelihood of talking about reform or their plans to vote in the 2010 election.

Author

• Kelly Birch Maginot, Michigan State University