Local Laws and Undocumented Mexicans’ Political Engagement: Why Immigrant Destinations Matter

• In Event: 333 - Section on International Migration Paper Session. Political Integration of Immigrants and Their Adult U.S. Citizen Children: Mechanisms of Inclusion and Exclusion

Abstract

A lack of full political rights, relatively low socio-economic status, and the rise of restrictive laws within immigrant destinations make undocumented Mexican immigrants unlikely participants in U.S. politics. Nonetheless, recent research demonstrates a variety of ways that these immigrants engage in purposive political action. Given the significant impediments, what motivates the political engagement of undocumented Mexicans? Law and society scholars argue that laws play a critical role in setting the stage for the political participation of marginalized groups. Drawing from this insight, this paper evaluates the relationship between local immigration laws and undocumented Mexicans’ political engagement. I find that restrictive measures within receiving locales counterintuitively trigger political socialization, prompting undocumented Mexicans to develop deeply localized political knowledge to sort out the direct implications of such laws. At the same time, the oppressive nature of restrictive laws dampens their sense of political efficacy and confines their participation to the issue of immigration, where engagement is mostly invisible. Conversely, accommodating laws prompt far less political socialization around the issue of local immigration because the extension of rights and benefits sparks less discussion and debate. The security and stability provided by legal accommodations nonetheless allows for broader political socialization beyond immigration, a stronger sense of political efficacy, and more expansive and visible political engagement among undocumented Mexicans. The design of local immigration laws, then, profoundly shapes the nature of democratic participation for marginalized immigrant groups.

Author

• Angela S. Garcia, University of Chicago