Immigration enforcement, older latino immigrants, and implications for health

Abstract

The passage of the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) and other subsequent restrictive immigration policies have escalated deportations and created stress and fear among Latino immigrants. In this article, we conceptualize migration as a process that can negatively affect the physical or mental health of immigrants during their journeys and long after they settle in a foreign land. Using Pew Research Center data and regression analyses, we find that the predicted probabilities of fearing immigration enforcement among foreign-born individuals aged 50 and over without citizenship or permanent residence are not negligible.Moreover, we find evidence of a direct association between the disapproval of enforcement measures and fear of immigration enforcement. We discuss the implications of fear of immigration enforcement for the wellbeing of older immigrants.