Defensive motherhood: the negotiation of the everyday lives of undocumented Mexican mothers

This research study explored the experiences of ten undocumented Mexican women who are raising their children in the Meadows County communities. While "illegal" immigration has been the focus of recent political and social debates, little sociological research has been conducted on the experiences of undocumented mothers who are raising their children in the United States. Drawing from conversations about their day-to-day lives, this research examines the experiences of undocumented mothers and their interactions with social institutions and services. Findings from the study reveal that undocumented Mexican mothers encountered great difficulty in trying to negotiate their motherhood roles due to constrains their undocumented status inflict. Border Patrol surveilling their communities, constant checkpoints and ICE (Immigration and Custom Enforcements) raids altered their day-, to-day lives. I found that undocumented Mexican mothers navigate their community and its social institutions by using a specific set of behaviors, which I call defensive motherhood that keeps them safe from deportation while negotiating their motherhood roles. Key Words: motherhood, undocumented immigrants, gender, Mexican immigrant