The Double Bind of Liminal Legality for Undocumented Youth: Help-Seeking Behavior and the Quest for a College Degree

Background and Purpose

The United States has a large, established undocumented immigrant population, including 2.1 million individuals who entered the country as children. The impact of being “illegal” in the United States context is particularly damaging for these young people, although many do not realize the implications of their legal status until they reach adolescence (Gonzales, 2011). As teenagers, they become more aware of the reality of what it means to be “illegal” when they learn they cannot obtain a driver’s license, join their citizen peers on a study abroad trip, or apply for federal financial aid to pay for college. Coming to terms with this extreme form of social exclusion during adolescence and the transition to adulthood also exerts a significant toll in less tangible ways, with implications for identity formation, mental health, and social isolation (Abrego 2011; Gonzales, 2011). Yet over 700,000 immigrant youth with DACA now fall into an unclear legal space between “legal” and “illegal.” We know relatively little about this legal gray area, or its implications for help-seeking behavior—such as asking guidance counselors for scholarship information—that may be useful for the transition to college.

Methods

This qualitative study explores how undocumented immigrant youth with DACA navigate the uncertainty of an ambiguous legal status during the transition to adulthood, focusing in particular on their pursuit of high education. Using a modified grounded theory approach, I analyze data from in-depth interviews with 40 undocumented youth who have legal permission to temporarily live and work in the U.S. Interviews ranged from 1.5 – 3 hours and were transcribed. A constant comparative approach was used while completing open and focused coding, and multiple steps were taken to support the trustworthiness of the study.

Findings

I show how “liminal legality” presents a double bind for undocumented youth with DACA. This ambiguous status communicates two different and contradictory messages simultaneously, interrupting their willingness and ability to seek the support during the transition to college. The term “double bind” was introduced by Gregory Bateson and colleagues (1962) to describe “an ongoing system which produces conflicting definitions” (p.157). I argue that this is a form of legal violence: they are given the hope of social inclusion without the possibility of fully attaining it. I show how this influences their educational pathways through the transition to adulthood, and present three types of strategies they develop to address the barriers they encounter en route to higher education.

Conclusions

As shown in this study, liminal legality impacts the identity development and mental health of undocumented immigrant youth. I translate these findings into recommendations for policymakers, educators, and social work practitioners regarding the types of policies and programs needed to address barriers to higher education for these immigrant youth.