IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/socmed/v73y2011i4p586-594.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The impact of Immigration and Customs Enforcement on immigrant health: Perceptions of immigrants in Everett, Massachusetts, USA

Author

Listed:
  • Hacker, Karen
  • Chu, Jocelyn
  • Leung, Carolyn
  • Marra, Robert
  • Pirie, Alex
  • Brahimi, Mohamed
  • English, Margaret
  • Beckmann, Joshua
  • Acevedo-Garcia, Dolores
  • Marlin, Robert P.

Abstract

U.S. immigrants have faced a changing landscape with regard to immigration enforcement over the last two decades. Following the passage of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, and the creation of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency after the attacks of September 11, 2001, detention and deportation activity increased substantially. As a result, immigrants today are experiencing heightened fear of profiling and deportation. Little research exists on how these activities affect the health and well-being of U.S. immigrant communities. This study sought to address this gap by using community-based participatory research to investigate the impact of enhanced immigration enforcement on immigrant health in Everett, Massachusetts, USA, a city with a large and diverse immigrant population. Community partners and researchers conducted 6 focus groups with 52 immigrant participants (documented and undocumented) in five languages in May 2009. The major themes across the groups included: 1) Fear of deportation, 2) Fear of collaboration between local law enforcement and ICE and perception of arbitrariness on the part of the former and 3) Concerns about not being able to furnish documentation required to apply for insurance and for health care. Documented and undocumented immigrants reported high levels of stress due to deportation fear, which affected their emotional well-being and their access to health services. Recommendations from the focus groups included improving relationships between immigrants and local police, educating immigrants on their rights and responsibilities as residents, and holding sessions to improve civic engagement. Immigration enforcement activities and the resulting deportation fear are contextual factors that undermine trust in community institutions and social capital, with implications for health and effective integration processes. These factors should be considered by any community seeking to improve the integration process.

Suggested Citation

  • Hacker, Karen & Chu, Jocelyn & Leung, Carolyn & Marra, Robert & Pirie, Alex & Brahimi, Mohamed & English, Margaret & Beckmann, Joshua & Acevedo-Garcia, Dolores & Marlin, Robert P., 2011. "The impact of Immigration and Customs Enforcement on immigrant health: Perceptions of immigrants in Everett, Massachusetts, USA," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 73(4), pages 586-594, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:73:y:2011:i:4:p:586-594
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953611003522
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Viruell-Fuentes, E.A. & Schulz, A.J., 2009. "Toward a dynamic conceptualization of social ties and context: Implications for understanding immigrant and Latino health," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 99(12), pages 2167-2175.
    2. Stafford, M. & Chandola, T. & Marmot, M., 2007. "Association between fear of crime and mental health and physical functioning," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 97(11), pages 2076-2081.
    3. Carpiano, Richard M., 2006. "Toward a neighborhood resource-based theory of social capital for health: Can Bourdieu and sociology help?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 62(1), pages 165-175, January.
    4. Viruell-Fuentes, Edna A., 2007. "Beyond acculturation: Immigration, discrimination, and health research among Mexicans in the United States," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 65(7), pages 1524-1535, October.
    5. Miller, Kenneth E. & Rasmussen, Andrew, 2010. "War exposure, daily stressors, and mental health in conflict and post-conflict settings: Bridging the divide between trauma-focused and psychosocial frameworks," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(1), pages 7-16, January.
    6. Krieger, N., 2003. "Does racism harm health? Did child abuse exist before 1962? On explicit questions, critical science, and current controversies: An ecosocial perspective," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 93(2), pages 194-199.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Christal Hamilton & Claire Altman & James Bachmeier & Cody Spence, 2022. "Legal status and health disparities: An examination of health insurance coverage among the foreign-born," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 47(16), pages 453-488.
    2. Tianyuan Luo & Genti Kostandini, 2023. "Omnibus or Ominous immigration laws? Immigration policy and mental health of the Hispanic population," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(1), pages 90-106, January.
    3. Julia Shu-Huah Wang & Neeraj Kaushal, 2018. "Health and Mental Health Effects of Local Immigration Enforcement," NBER Working Papers 24487, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Amuedo-Dorantes, Catalina & Arenas-Arroyo, Esther, 2021. "Immigration policy and fertility: Evidence from undocumented migrants in the U.S," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 274-297.
    5. Heidi Hoefinger & Jennifer Musto & P. G. Macioti & Anne E. Fehrenbacher & Nicola Mai & Calum Bennachie & Calogero Giametta, 2019. "Community-Based Responses to Negative Health Impacts of Sexual Humanitarian Anti-Trafficking Policies and the Criminalization of Sex Work and Migration in the US," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-30, December.
    6. Marquez, Beatriz Aldana & Marquez-Velarde, Guadalupe & Eason, John M. & Aldana, Linda, 2021. "Pushing them to the edge: Suicide in immigrant detention centers as a product of organizational failure," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 283(C).
    7. Asad, Asad L. & Clair, Matthew, 2018. "Racialized legal status as a social determinant of health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 199(C), pages 19-28.
    8. Bae Jung, 2020. "Immigration Relief and Insurance Coverage: Evidence from Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 20(3), pages 1-37, July.
    9. Terriquez, Veronica & Joseph, Tiffany D., 2016. "Ethnoracial inequality and insurance coverage among Latino young adults," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 150-158.
    10. Tianyuan Luo & Cesar L. Escalante, 2021. "Stringent immigration enforcement and the mental health and health‐risk behaviors of Hispanic adolescent students in Arizona," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(1), pages 86-103, January.
    11. Sabo, Samantha & Shaw, Susan & Ingram, Maia & Teufel-Shone, Nicolette & Carvajal, Scott & de Zapien, Jill Guernsey & Rosales, Cecilia & Redondo, Flor & Garcia, Gina & Rubio-Goldsmith, Raquel, 2014. "Everyday violence, structural racism and mistreatment at the US–Mexico border," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 66-74.
    12. Hicken, Margaret T. & Lee, Hedwig & Hing, Anna K., 2018. "The weight of racism: Vigilance and racial inequalities in weight-related measures," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 199(C), pages 157-166.
    13. Isabella Berardelli & Lorenzo Tarsitani & Salvatore Sarubbi & Irene Pinucci & Elena Rogante & Mariarosaria Cifrodelli & Denise Erbuto & David Lester & Marco Innamorati & Maurizio Pompili, 2023. "Suicide risk and suicide risk factors among immigrants in Italy: A bi-center matched sample study," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 69(1), pages 111-116, February.
    14. Zai Liang & Bo Zhou, 2016. "The Effects of Legal Status on Employment and Health Outcomes among Low-Skilled Chinese Immigrants in New York City," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 666(1), pages 150-163, July.
    15. Patler, Caitlin & Laster Pirtle, Whitney, 2018. "From undocumented to lawfully present: Do changes to legal status impact psychological wellbeing among latino immigrant young adults?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 199(C), pages 39-48.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Shell, Alyssa Marie & Peek, M. Kristen & Eschbach, Karl, 2013. "Neighborhood Hispanic composition and depressive symptoms among Mexican-descent residents of Texas City, Texas," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 56-63.
    2. Malmusi, Davide & Borrell, Carme & Benach, Joan, 2010. "Migration-related health inequalities: Showing the complex interactions between gender, social class and place of origin," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(9), pages 1610-1619, November.
    3. Samari, Goleen, 2016. "Cross-border ties and Arab American mental health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 93-101.
    4. Acevedo-Garcia, Dolores & Sanchez-Vaznaugh, Emma V. & Viruell-Fuentes, Edna A. & Almeida, Joanna, 2012. "Integrating social epidemiology into immigrant health research: A cross-national framework," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(12), pages 2060-2068.
    5. Heesemann, Esther & Yakubenko, Slava, 2019. "When crime hits communities: A story of fear and depression in Mexico," VfS Annual Conference 2019 (Leipzig): 30 Years after the Fall of the Berlin Wall - Democracy and Market Economy 203612, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    6. Chapman, Mimi V. & Hall, William J. & Lee, Kent & Colby, Robert & Coyne-Beasley, Tamera & Day, Steve & Eng, Eugenia & Lightfoot, Alexandra F. & Merino, Yesenia & Simán, Florence M. & Thomas, Tainayah , 2018. "Making a difference in medical trainees' attitudes toward Latino patients: A pilot study of an intervention to modify implicit and explicit attitudes," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 199(C), pages 202-208.
    7. Touma, Fatima & Hummer, Robert A., 2022. "Race/ethnicity, immigrant generation, and physiological dysregulation among U.S. adults entering midlife," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 314(C).
    8. Alloush, Mo & Bloem, Jeffrey R., 2022. "Neighborhood violence, poverty, and psychological well-being," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    9. Shippee, Tetyana Pylypiv & Schafer, Markus H. & Ferraro, Kenneth F., 2012. "Beyond the barriers: Racial discrimination and use of complementary and alternative medicine among Black Americans," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(8), pages 1155-1162.
    10. Kuen, Kiseong & Weisburd, David & White, Clair & Hinkle, Joshua C., 2022. "Examining impacts of street characteristics on residents' fear of crime: Evidence from a longitudinal study of crime hot spots," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    11. Jayawickreme, Nuwan & Mootoo, Candace & Fountain, Christine & Rasmussen, Andrew & Jayawickreme, Eranda & Bertuccio, Rebecca F., 2017. "Post-conflict struggles as networks of problems: A network analysis of trauma, daily stressors and psychological distress among Sri Lankan war survivors," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 119-132.
    12. Kathleen Ford & Aree Jampaklay & Aphichat Chamatrithirong, 2022. "Psychiatric symptoms among migrants to Malaysia from the southernmost provinces of Thailand," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 68(3), pages 533-540, May.
    13. Eggerman, Mark & Panter-Brick, Catherine, 2010. "Suffering, hope, and entrapment: Resilience and cultural values in Afghanistan," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(1), pages 71-83, July.
    14. Daniela Barni & Alessio Vieno & Michele Roccato & Silvia Russo, 2016. "Basic Personal Values, the Country’s Crime Rate and the Fear of Crime," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 129(3), pages 1057-1074, December.
    15. Ullmann, S. Heidi & Goldman, Noreen & Pebley, Anne R., 2013. "Contextual factors and weight change over time: A comparison between U.S. Hispanics and other population sub-groups," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 40-48.
    16. Lubna Rashid & Silvia Cepeda-García, 2021. "Self-Categorising and Othering in Migrant Integration: The Case of Entrepreneurs in Berlin," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-14, February.
    17. Peng, Sihui & Yang, Xiaozhao Yousef & Rockett, Ian R.H., 2019. "A typology of social capital and its mixed blessing for suicidal ideation: A multilevel study of college students," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 243(C).
    18. Lopez-Class, Maria & Castro, Felipe González & Ramirez, Amelie G., 2011. "Conceptions of acculturation: A review and statement of critical issues," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 72(9), pages 1555-1562, May.
    19. John, Dolly A. & de Castro, A.B. & Martin, Diane P. & Duran, Bonnie & Takeuchi, David T., 2012. "Does an immigrant health paradox exist among Asian Americans? Associations of nativity and occupational class with self-rated health and mental disorders," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(12), pages 2085-2098.
    20. Chuang, Ying-Chih & Chuang, Kun-Yang, 2008. "Gender differences in relationships between social capital and individual smoking and drinking behavior in Taiwan," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(8), pages 1321-1330, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:73:y:2011:i:4:p:586-594. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/315/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.