‘Racism is Stronger than Both of Our Papers’: Formerly Undocumented Latino Immigrants’ Attitudes towards Black Americans

• In Event: 20868 - The Politics of Racism and Anti-Racism: Racial Processes Across Institutions

Abstract

This paper examines transitions in legal status—specifically, undocumented to lawful permanent resident (LPR) status—as a new mechanism affecting Latino immigrant and Black American intergroup relations. Drawing on in-depth interviews and ethnographic observations with 135 formerly and 54 currently undocumented Latino immigrants across the greater Los Angeles and Atlanta metropolitan areas I show how transitions in legal status produce positive intergroup relations between Latino immigrants and Black Americans. These changes theoretically bridge contact, where increased exposure and interactions between different groups reduces prejudice and hostility between members of these groups, and social identity theory, where shared identities and experiences bolster positive intergroup relations. I find lawful status provided formerly undocumented immigrants across both sites the symbolic and institutional resources that led to increased social and spatial proximity to Black Americans. These resources included work authorization that allowed immigrants to pursue new jobs, as well as access to a state driver’s license, business permits, professional credentials, and educational opportunities. Even in accommodating contexts like Los Angeles, where some immigrants had access to these while undocumented, lawful status provided greater comfort in utilizing them. Across both sites, the formerly undocumented immigrants in my study saw increased spatial mobility, cultivated new institutional relationships, and expanded their social networks with lawful status. This heightened their social and spatial proximity to Black Americans compared to their time undocumented and even compared to those who remained undocumented. As a result, changes in the transition to lawful status provided formerly undocumented Latino immigrants first-hand knowledge to disconfirm stereotypes and previously held assumptions of Black Americans ranging from cultural dissimilarity, group animosity, Black Americans’ relative privilege due to being U.S.-born and citizens, and provided a deeper knowledge of the legacy of U.S. racism against Black Americans. However, strikingly, these same changes at times strained Latino intragroup relations.

Author

• Luis E. Tenorio, University of California-Berkeley