Strategic Use of Research

in Catholic Advocacy,

Services, and Institutions2019 Catholic Immigrant Integration Initiative Conference

March 11-13, 2019

Daniela Alulema, Center for Migration Studies

CONTENTS Communities in Crisis01 /

02 /

Democratizing Data

COMMUNITIES IN CRISIS

• 133 deportees from the United States at a migrant shelter in Mexico

• 20 interviews with family members of deportees and community members in

three US parishes

Research Methodology:

A study by the Kino Border Initiative,

CMS, and the Office of Justice and

Ecology to identify the characteristics

of deportees and the effects of

deportation on them, their families,

and their communities

SURVEY FINDINGSAbout Deportees

01Long and deep ties

• Lived in the US for 19.9

years in average

• More than half entered

as minors

• 26% are US homeowners

04Plans to return to the US

02Family and economic ties

• 78% had US citizen

children

• 42% had US citizen

spouse or partner

• 96% was employed in the

US

• 10 years in same job

03Economic impact of deportation

• Had $142 at time of

deportation

• 74% did not have enough

to support children

• Close family members

depended on them

• 74% planned to return to

the US

• 45% identified only a little

or “not at all” with country

of birth

• Only 35% reported feeling

safe since deportation

01 Children of deported migrants experience anxiety, depression, and decreased academic performance

INTERVIEW FINDINGSFrom deportees and their families

“I feel like I am a very social person, and when [my parent’s

deportation] was going on, I isolated myself from everybody. I

lost friendships. I’d come home from class and I would just lay

in bed not wanting to do anything. I would have mental

breakdowns. My sister was the same. She was way more quiet.

Now she has panic attacks. She didn’t have panic attacks

before.”

— Daughter of deported immigrant

02Children who left the country with their deported parents have experienced difficulties in adjusting to their new lives

INTERVIEW FINDINGS

“Every time we talk about this topic, it hurts and we cry. My 16-

year-old daughter will probably go to study to the United

States because she is having difficulties with Spanish and

cannot keep up with advanced classes in Spanish. Her entire

life she has thought in English. My children told me I did not

love them because if I had, I would have left them where they

were happy.”

- Deported mother

From deportees and their families

03 Need for plan in case of a deportation

INTERVIEW FINDINGS

“We took it lightly and thought it would never happen to us.

We didn’t make a plan. I used to be very active in the

community. I helped and organized meetings where we

discussed how to prevent and prepare for deportations just in

case [Trump] would fulfill his word. But to be honest, I wasn’t

prepared.”

— Mother of three US citizen children and wife of deported

immigrant

From deportees and their families

DEMOCRATIZING DATA

Makes demographic data on immigrants accessible to a wide range of users

• Eligible-to-naturalize• Undocumented• Refugees• DACA eligible• TPS eligible

Provides estimates on the size and characteristics of:

www.data.cmsny.org

OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC AND SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Total Population

• Region of Origin

• Top countries of origin

• Period of entry

• Years in the US

• Arrived before age 16

• Language spoken at home

• Ability to speak English

• School enrollment

• Education level

• Marital status

• Age

• Sex

• Access to computer or

internet

• Poverty status

• Employment status

• Occupation

• Health insurance coverage

• Race by ethnicity

UNDOCUMENTED POPULATION IN

SANTA CLARA COUNTY = 151,593

Poverty Status

Above poverty threshold 139,275 (92%)

At or below 12,317 (8%)

Employment Status

Employed 110,140 (96%)

Unemployed 4,520 (4%)

Health Insurance Coverage

With coverage 127,630 (84%)

With no coverage 23,964 (16%)

Race by Ethnicity

Asian 71,547 (47%)

Hispanic 69,614 (46%)

White 7,419 (5%)

Black 2,064 (1%)

Countries of origin

Mexico 58,287 (38%)

India 37,578 (25%)

China 15,444 (10%)

Sex

Female 70,020 (46%)

Male 81,575 (54%)

UNDOCUMENTED POPULATION IN

SANTA CLARA COUNTY = 151,593

Ability to Speak English

Speaks English very well 75,819 (51%)

Speaks English well 35,805 (24%)

Speaks English a little 31,220 (21%)

Does not speak English 6,929 (5%)

Educational attainment

< high school diploma 31,696 (23%)

High school diploma 26,423 (19%)

Some college 16,279 (12%)

Bachelor's degree or higher 64,090 (46%)

Age Years in the US

20%

25%

20%

18%

17% Less than 5

5 to 9

10 to 14

15 to 19

20 or more

9%

7%

30%

35%

19%

0%

0 to 17

18 to 24

25 to 34

35 to 44

45 to 64

65 and older

THANKYOU!