Lives Still in Limbo: DACAmented and Navigating Uncertain Futures Roberto G. Gonzales, Ph.D. Harvard University Roberto_Gonzales@Gse.Harvard.Edu Twitter: @RGGonzales1
Ending DACA September 5, 2017 AG Jeff Sessions announces end of DACA 6 month wind down March 5, 2018 No new applications Renewal applications for those whose DACA expires before March 5 (had until October 5) Others can use their DACA status until they expire
The Clock Time
Congressional Inactivity Congressional Inactivity
Enforcement on Steroids
The Waiting The Waiting
Undocumented Settlement: A New Era of Migration More than 16.6 million people live in mixed-status families where at least one undocumented immigrant resides Within these families, 11. 2 million are undocumented and more than 2.1 million are undocumented but have lived in the United States since childhood
The Transition to Adulthood Scholarship on the transition to adulthood has provided important frameworks from which to understand this developmental period as young people begin to exit roles of independence and take on a greater number of adult roles. Societal shifts in developing countries have led young people to delay the age at which they enter the labor market, get married, start a family, and purchase a home. For young people from disadvantaged families who must take on adult responsibilities earlier on in life due to their lower socioeconomic status, the ability to delay adult roles and to exhibit hope for the future is significantly hampered.
The Plyler Dilemma The Plyler Dilemma
Lack of Continuity K-12 Experiences Late Adolescence
A Master Status
Transition to Illegality Awakening to a nightmare Blocked paths and uncertain futures Stigma and changed social patterns Learning to be Illegal Responses to Stress 12
Enter DACA DACA provided qualified immigrants with: Access to deportation relief Renewable work permits Temporary Social Security numbers Under age 31 as of June 15, 2012 U.S. arrival before age 16 5 years of continuous residence in the U.S. In school, graduated, obtained GED, or enrolled in a literacy or career training program No felony convictions, significant misdemeanors, or 3 or more other misdemeanors Does not otherwise pose a threat to national security or public safety
National UnDACAmented Research Project 5-year study to understand the impact of the 2012 DACA program 2013 national online survey (N=2,684) In-depth qualitative interviews Phoenix, Los Angeles, Atlanta, New York, Chicago, and Greenville/Columbia (N=481) 65 Team Members 6 research teams Harvard-based team National Outreach and Recruitment Coordinator National Field Coordinator 14
Delayed Transition to Illegality Short-term Mobility Diminished Fear Improved Outlooks Greater Sense of Belonging 15
Short-term Mobility After DACA (Gonzales, Terriquez, and Ruszczyk, American Behavioral Scientist, 2014) 16
Diminished Fear 2/3 less afraid of law enforcement & deportation Nearly 70 percent feel less stress 17
Improved Outlook I kind of went into depression during that whole college application part. I started thinking I m never going to go anywhere and it s all because of some paper I don t have. It was really rough. I felt kind of I was angry all the time. When the DACA program was announced it instilled a new hope in me and I think it s what s driving me forward to do the best I can again and to focus and be responsible. It gave me hope that my future is not up in the air anymore. I can actually work on something and not be afraid that, oh what if this doesn t happen? I m not completely undocumented anymore. Jin, Columbia, South Carolina 18
Greater Sense of Belonging I finally feel like I am a part of the U.S., like I m no longer living in the shadows. I can now work legally. I can now be able to drive legally. When I go to the doctor s, the clinic, it is being paid for through health insurance that I m eligible for. Max, New York, NY I don t know where I would be right now, without DACA. I don t know if I would be going to school. I don t know if I would ve done my medical assistant program. In some ways, I feel like it saved my life. Jenny, Chicago, IL 19
Delayed Transition to Illegality? Ongoing Family Vulnerability Anxiety, Vigilance, and Fear The Partial and Revocable Nature of DACA (access) 20
Ongoing Family Vulnerability I m always scared. What if my mother gets deported out of nowhere? What if my older sister doesn t fix her status? What s gonna happen with her daughters? How is my brother-in-law gonna take care of things, and how is he gonna handle it? They re very close. They live together. It s a lot of, there s still fear in my family. Angela, Atlanta, GA 21
Anxiety, Vigilance, and Fear I try not to think about [deportation]. When it does happen like saying I m driving. I m driving fine. Driving the speed limit, hands on the wheel, ten and two. Then, I see a cop behind me. I think was I speeding? Was I going five above the speed limit? Did I turn? When I turned, did I use the signal right? Is he looking at me? Is he looking at my skin? I think am I gonna get deported, if I get stopped? Am I gonna go to jail, and then get deported? If I do get deported, am I gonna get deported where I live, or used to live? Or are they gonna send me far away? They gonna be like, Oh, he lives here? Let s send him over there. If he does stop me, is he gonna take my car away? Where is it gonna go? My mom, how are they gonna get help? All that goes through my head. That affects me mentally, physically, emotionally. Eddie, Phoenix, AZ 22
The Partial and Revocable Nature of Access I just don t understand. I sent [the renewal application] in on time. I ve been told there s like, the system is backed up and they re not processing applications on time. I don t know, I did what I was supposed to do. But I had to wait like almost three months, and in that time I was what they call out of status. It really put me right back where I was before. It was that slap in the face reminder that I m still undocumented., I m still vulnerable. I could be arrested and deported like that. It really brought me down. Lee, Phoenix, AZ 23
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