Survival in the Shadow of the State: The Work Lives and Economic Practices of Undocumented Latino Families in Texas

Background. In 2013, 15% of the U.S. population, nearly 50 million people, lived at/or below poverty level. About 10.4 million were considered among the “working poor” (employed 27+ weeks but income below poverty level). Often relegated to low-wage work, these numbers include undocumented immigrants who face additional adversities (e.g., threat of deportation, family separation) and cannot access state resources. Studies reveal that low-wage families make ends meet by accessing resources from work, state benefits, and family; however, few have examined how undocumented families survive with limited access to state support. The goal of this study was to: (a) examine the economic hardships undocumented Latino families face, and (b) explore the strategies used to survive in the context of restricted access to work and state support.

Methods. In a mixed-methods investigation we collected 40 semi-structured interviews and surveys from undocumented Latino parents in two Texas cities. This analysis used two measures from the survey instrument, the Material Hardship scale and the USDA Food Insecurity Module and interview data. The Material Hardship scale, a 23-item measure, examines whether individuals have faced material difficulties over the last year. The Food Insecurity module asks questions related to hunger, food quantity and choice. Content analysis was used to analyze qualitative data, while quantitative data were analyzed using Pearson’s correlations. Qualitative interviews comprised four sections: migration experience, life while undocumented, parenting in the context of deportation risk, and the emotional impact of the risk of deportation.

Results. Findings provide insight into how families ensure economic survival and how undocumented status presents barriers. “Papers for others is like having a key and we don’t have the key to open these doors.” Participants were mostly female (n=34, 85%) and from Mexico (n=39, 97.5%). The average household size was 5 with 3 children and 77% report annual household incomes of $20,000 or less. Data reveal that over the last 12 months: 72% reported experiencing a time when they needed food but could not buy it and 58% reported insufficient resources to see a doctor. Others reported having services like electricity (25%) and phone (62%) disconnected. Interviews revealed stress related to insufficient resources and strategies to confront this. “I try to pay what is most important and wait to see how to pay the rest…” Some report working collectively to ease financial stress. “When I began to make friends some times when I didn’t have something they would share with me, or when someone else needed something I had it’s how you help someone, to share.” Others reported participating in formal collective strategies like money saving associations.

Implications. This study describes the economic reality for undocumented families in Texas. By exploring how they supplement low-wage work in the absence of state support, including sometimes relying on collective strategies, this study provides insight into both the experiences of undocumented immigrants and others without access to the state safety net. It serves as a starting point for the development of recommendations for policy based on collective practices to further poverty eradication goals.