Charting Directions for Research on Immigrant Children Affected by Undocumented Status. (November 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zayas, Luis H.; Brabeck, Kalina M.; Heffron, Laurie Cook; Dreby, Joanna; Calzada, Esther J.; Parra-Cardona, J. Rubén; Dettlaff, Alan J.; Heidbrink, Lauren; Perreira, Krista M.; Yoshikawa, Hirokazu
• Is Part Of: Hispanic journal of behavioral sciences. Volume 39:Number 4(2017:Nov.)
• Page Start: 412
• Page End: 435
• Publication Date: 2017-11
• Subjects: refugees -- undocumented immigrants -- unaccompanied children -- citizen-children; Hispanic Americans -- Mental health -- Periodicals; Hispanic Americans -- Psychology -- Periodicals; 300
• DOI: 10.1177/0739986317722971
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0739-9863

Abstract

Three groups of children from Mexico and Central America are vulnerable to effects of U.S. immigration policies: (1) foreign-born children who entered the United States with undocumented immigrant parents; (2) unaccompanied children who entered the United States alone; and (3) U.S.-born citizen-children of undocumented immigrant parents. Despite the recent demographic growth of these youth, scholarship on their strengths and challenges is under-theorized and isolated within specific disciplines. Hence, service providers, researchers, and policymakers have insufficient research to inform their efforts to support the children's well-being. A group of scholars and service providers with expertise in immigrant children convened to establish consensus areas and identify gaps in knowledge of undocumented, unaccompanied, and citizen-children of undocumented immigrant parents. The primary goal was to establish a research agenda that increases interdisciplinary collaborations, informs clinical practice, and influences policies. This report summarizes key issues and recommendations that emerged from the meeting.