In the wake of Trump’s victory: Perceived migration stigma and symbolic (dis)empowerment

• In Event: International Migration Section Refereed Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): 04. Attitudes about immigrants/immigration

Abstract

This study examines symbolic (dis)empowerment—the idea that sociopolitical events affect groups differently based on social identity—in the context of Donald Trump’s 2024 United States presidential victory. To do this, we introduce the first operationalization of a new concept: perceived migration stigma (MS), or individuals’ beliefs about “what most people think” about immigrants’ impact on American culture, economy, and crime. Using post-election survey data (n=1,194), we analyze how individuals’ level of perceived MS interacts with immigrant status to shape symbolic (dis)empowerment, operationalized as anticipated life changes under the new administration. Regression results show a significant interaction: among those with high perceived MS, non-immigrants expected improvements in life circumstances (symbolic empowerment) while immigrants anticipated a decline (symbolic disempowerment). This pattern remains after controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, one’s own level of anti-immigrant sentiment, and political partisanship. Our findings not only offer empirical evidence of symbolic (dis)empowerment in the wake of the 2024 presidential election but also support the validity of perceived migration stigma as a measurable construct—analytically and empirically distinct from anti-immigrant prejudice—that captures attitudes about “what most Americans think” about immigrants.

Authors

• Maureen A. Eger, University of Southern California

• Emily Dunkel

• Margaux Grivel

• Lawrence Yang

• Bruce G Link, University of California-Riverside