Welcome or Not: An Examination of the Integration Experiences Among Central American Immigrant Emerging Adults in Los Angeles

Background and Purpose:According to Pew Hispanic Center (2014), Central Americans constitute the newest Latino subgroup in the U.S. Among the 50.7 million Latinos residing in the U.S., Central Americans make up 2.9 million. Thousands of these individuals are unaccompanied child migrants who arrived at the U.S. Southern border in 2014. In Los Angeles, the largest concentration of Central Americans in the U.S., emerging adults are at risk for gang involvement, poor educational outcomes, and family instability due to their undocumented status. As a result, many find it difficult to incorporate into U.S. culture.  In an effort to better understand and serve the needs of this vulnerable population, this study will examine the incorporation experiences of Central American emerging adults by asking the following questions: (1) How do first generation Central American youth adjust to U.S. culture?  2) What are the incorporation experiences of first generation Central American emerging adults in the U.S.?

Methods:In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted in this phenomenological study with twelve first generation Central American youth in Los Angeles (seven females, five male) who were between 18 to 25 years old. Participants were selected via purposive sampling and were identified through study advertisements posted in nearby community colleges, through online listservs and in public spaces frequented by youth (e.g. libraries, community centers). Interview questions explored first generation family narratives, educational background, feelings of belonging, and access to social support. Interviews were transcribed and coded inductively for themes using the data analysis software, ATLAS.ti.

Findings: Three salient themes emerged among first generation Central American emerging adults (1) participants felt a lack of belonging in their academic settings and felt fearful of anti-immigrant sentiments that affected their daily lives especially at school (2) faith-based agencies played a significant role in ensuring appropriate reception of Central American youth and families by providing social services, legal clinics, and social support (3) participants experienced dual and often contradictory messages from family members who on one hand wanted them to adapt to U.S. culture by learning English, however, discouraged emerging adults becoming “American,” as they saw certain American attitudes and behaviors as a threat to Central American family unity.

Conclusion and Implications: Findings illustrate that first generation Central American emerging adults struggle academically during the initial adaptation phase due to a lack of support services on campus dedicated to newcomer students. Further, findings illustrate that schools and community based agencies must be aware of and attuned to the importance of how social climate impacts the context of reception for first generation immigrant youth and subsequently, how immigrant emerging adults internalize messages of self-worth, belonging, and their value in society.