Immigration enforcement and mixed-status families: The effects of risk of deportation on Medicaid use. (October 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Vargas, Edward D.
• Is Part Of: Children and youth services review. Volume 57(2015:Oct.)
• Page Start: 83
• Page End: 89
• Publication Date: 2015-10
• Subjects: Health disparities -- Mixed-status families -- Immigration enforcement -- Program evaluation; Social work with children -- Periodicals; Social work with youth -- Periodicals; Adolescent -- Periodicals; Child Welfare -- Periodicals; Social Work -- Periodicals; Service social aux enfants -- Périodiques; Service social à la jeunesse -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 362.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2015.07.009
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0190-7409

Abstract

Abstract: As Congress priorities the immigration debate on increased border security, the fate of an estimated 11 million undocumented citizens remains uncertain. Stuck in between partisan politics and practical solutions are mixed-status families in which some members of the family are U.S. citizens while other members are in the country without proper authorization. This paper, examines the relationship between risk of deportation and Medicaid use drawing from a nationally sample of mothers from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Survey. These data are then merged with data from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to create a contextual risk of deportation measure. Findings suggest that an increase in risk of deportation is associated with a decrease in Medicaid use. The implications of this work have tremendous impacts for health service providers and policy makers interested in preventing and reducing health disparities in complex family structures. Highlights: This manuscript examines mixed-status families and Medicaid use. This research develops a measure of anti-immigrant sentiment, (i.e. risk of deportation). As the risk of deportation increases, Medicaid use decreases. Risk of deportation is a key predictor that should be examined in the social services literature. This research has implications for scholars and practitioners interested in alleviating poverty in complex family structures.