Understanding the Impacts of a Latinx Parent\u27s Undocumented Immigration Status for Their College-Enrolled Children

Previous research has shown the significance of immigration on educational attainment. Researchers have found that immigrants, and children of immigrants, outperform their native counterparts (Keller & Tillman, 2008). However, several of these studies do not account for undocumented students or students with undocumented parents; it is important to understand this distinction, particularly when researching the success and social wellbeing of Latinx students. Current theoretical frameworks on educational competencies of ethnic minority children understand that outside influences, such as family, impact children’s development and their abilities in school settings (Marks & Coll, 2018). There is also an emerging body of literature that analyzes psychosocial effects of a parent’s undocumented status on Latinx adolescents and children. Both the threat and actual deportation of parents have shown to elicit trauma and stressors for citizen children (Gulbas et al., 2016). However, researchers have yet to look at the possible long-term effects this has on Latinx students pursuing post-secondary education. Accordingly, the present study explores the following question: What are the psychological effects of a parent’s undocumented immigration status on Latinx students’ pursuing post-secondary education? Participants will be Latinx students from a university in the Pacific Northwest with at least one undocumented parent. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with approximately 10 participants and interview transcripts will be qualitatively coded. Connections between possible stressors or psychosocial effects among the participants and practices within higher education will be discussed