Adaptation & Incorporation: Part 1 - Salisbury University



Immigrant Health & Crime — Lecture Outline

Health Issues

Assimilation / Acculturation link to health and crime (somewhat surprising)

Immigrant Mental Health (All P&R web rdg.) – MH—From shift from Eugenics view in 19th & early 20th century to post WWII emphasis on Class, Age, & Context. [Class bias of early research corrected later]

Context of Exit (in home country—trauma or no, PTSD, refugees)

Context of Reception in US (Mode of incorporation /policy, Ethnic Community, etc.) – example of negative mode of incorp. [In Miller Ch 6, BP focus on Hispanic / Latino immigrant communities on Northern Border as well, increases in stress and fear… potential mental health effects… PTSD, etc.]

Social Distance (class background, rural-urban background, Education level, etc.) more important than Physical / Geographic distance Re: adjustment & MH

Immigrant Mental Health and Social Class background as key variable along with mode of incorporation into US (policy response)

Mental Health over Time for Immigrants

Determinants of Mental health for immigrants –Class background + context of reception (esp. if have visa or not)

“Epidemiological Paradox” re: immigrant health. Immigrant v. Natives on baby health, adult drug and alcohol use and mental health (P&R web rdg.)

“Agricultural Exceptionalism” – rights and protections of farmworkers compared to other worker in US economy, role of Immigrants in Ag. labor, vulnerability to hyper-exploitation, & implications for immg. worker health; (Liebman and Augustave web rdg)

Health care available for “mobile poor” through Migrant and Community Health Centers (MCHC) (Kugel & Zuroweste web rdg., & Juliana Simmons guest lecture)

Migrant workers in low-wage, often high-risk occupations + mobility (continuity probs.) = health risks -- e.g., farm labor, construction & landscaping, meat packing, hospitality indus., domestic service (Kugel & Zuroweste web rdg., & Juliana Simmons guest lecture)

[MCHC serve only 20% of farmworkers. Barriers to HC— lack resources, mobility, lack info, language, fear (undoc. status), isolation, long dangerous “commute,” Need for immgn. reform & resources, “culturally competent” HC, tracking systems (Kugel & Zuroweste web rdg., & some noted in Juliana Simmons guest lecture) ]

Other Issues from Juliana Simmons guest lecture—Immigrants in dangerous industries, such as agriculture, how US workers in non-ag. jobs get treated for injuries vs. immg. workers in ag. work, examples of immg. ag. worker health risks (injuries & pesticide exposure), , barriers to access to healthcare for immg. workers, barriers to workers comp., Migrant Clinicians Network programs for immigrants and clinicians treating them (education and training materials, health network tracking of care)

Crime Issues (P& R web rdg,& Ewing et al. web rdg.)

Traditional View – Immigration = more crime.

Trends in US crime rates and Immigration since early 1990s

Incarceration rates gaps-- Foreign –Born rate vs. Native Born – big gap even least educated for.-born groups (Mexican, Cent. Ams., Laotians, Cambodian, etc.) However, rapid increase among 2nd generation to above US avg. Similar to native-born minorities (Ewing et al. web rdg. &P&R web rdg.)

Immigrant criminal offending rates compared to US natives

Explanations for differences -- -- Self-Selection, , Immig. Community as protective… (Ewing et al. web rdg.)

More Policy Criminalizing Immigrants based on idea of immgs. As most likely criminals, what types of criminals are caught in those, how many serious criminals? (Ewing et al. web rdg.)

Compare Hispanic / Latino immigrant (& other immigrant) crime & incarceration rates with…

Border patrol view of undocumented Latino immigrants, esp. post 9-11. Big expansion of BP on Northern border (with Canada), focus largely on Hispanic / Latino immigrants. Staking out community organizations, churches, stores, etc., fear & family separation. What is mental health impact of this increased stress (ala P&R web rdg.). Consider how “dangerous” or threatening these immigrants are or not, & does this use of BP force make sense? (Miller Ch. 6)

Border areas as “Constitution free zone” (Miller Ch. 6)

BP Explorer programs for teens for youth as means for BP to recruit support & future agents from Latino/ Hispanic community. Good –paying Jobs… is world view of BP selling to youth & public? (national security & threats, good guy vs. bad guys view – vs. reality of job is mostly low-risk immigration enforcement). (Miller Ch. 3)

Not discussed but should be aware of:

Bowie High School case in El Paso, Texas -- Symbolic of antagonistic relations BP traditionally had with Hispanic / Latino Communities on border. Lawsuit suing BP for civil rights violations forced BP to change. New emphasis on building more positive relations with Hispanic / Latino residents, while at same time focusing directly on border against unauthorized Mexican border crossers (immediately on border & not in neighborhoods). Then shift more to BP “doing nice things for children” build BP support among Mexican Americans. (Miller Ch. 3)

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