Department or Program

Latin American and Latinx Studies

Abstract

For the 5.1 million US-citizen children living with at least one undocumented family member, legal vulnerability not only hinders structural access but also functions to create conditions of parentification. Restricted mobility and ineligibility for state resources reproduce state power within the home, pushing children to take on adult responsibilities at an early age. The sociopolitical exclusion of undocumented immigrants has shaped everyday family life, beyond the targeted individual. Mixed-status families, in which some members hold legal immigration status and others do not, form a core part of Latinx immigrant life in the United States; however, the multifaceted consequences of legal vulnerability that spill over into family dynamics remain understudied in analyses of immigration enforcement. This thesis examines how the US immigration system reorganizes responsibility and social power within Latinx mixed-status families. I argue that legal precarity disproportionately places caregiving and financial responsibilities onto children of mixed-status households. Drawing on memoirs, oral histories, and public testimonies, this research foregrounds lived experiences as a site of emotional dissonance for children from Latinx mixed-status families who assume adult roles as caregivers, cultural navigators, and economic contributors.

Level of Access

Open Access

First Advisor

Bernardino, Erik

Date of Graduation

5-2026

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Number of Pages

108

Components of Thesis

1 pdf file

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