No Hay Justicia: Situational Depression Among Undocumented Men Living in Rural Areas

Background and Purpose: Little to no research exists as to the experiences of undocumented men living in rural areas who come from south of the border seeking job opportunities. Immigrants from south of the border were first documented in the 1940s when they blended into American society. Current political ideologies view them as criminals, a burden to society as they are perceived as uneducated and unskilled; and now bearers of diseases such as the deadly COVID-19. These attitudes towards this population instills fear and isolation which creates situational depression.

This paper aims to fill in the lack of research, particularly as it pertains in a rural content to those undocumented individuals living in fear and isolation. It will draw from experiences shared by men who come to the US for the purpose of survival and how they integrate a holistic approach in developing resiliency, despite, the lack of mental health services available to them. This paper will offer suggestions for social work practice and the immediate need for social justice in the area of health care.

Methods: Two different labor pool sites were visited in rural areas for the purpose of seeking volunteers to participate in this study. Thirty-three men were identified, and all had lived in the area longer than six months. All men, coincidentally, were from Mexico and ranged in age from 25-62 years old. The study was conducted from a phenomenology research design and NVivo was utilized to code and categorize thematic sentiments. Semi-structured interviews took place at the sites with a trusted key informant early in the mornings while the men awaited work. All correspondence with the men was in Spanish and was translated in English to be analyzed by the software.

Findings: The participants expressed sadness, loneliness and homesickness due to their situation. They indicated they missed the family rituals of birthdays, fiestas, religious holidays family gatherings, and celebrations. They experienced anxiety and fear about being exploited and living in poverty. Some were in need of health care, housing and social support. They expressed the need for legalization, freedom to travel and the desire to learn English. The men all left their home for the purpose of providing for their families as many lived on the verge of starvation and/or in dangerous environments. Their sense of hope came from their belief that they were providing for their families from a far distance. They claimed spirituality obtained through prayer and the physical activity from hard work and exercise.

Implications: There is a great need for social justice for those who live in the shadows. There exists a need to reform immigration policy and more importantly a need to access services in a just and expedited manner, particularly in the area of mental and physical health care. This is especially necessary for the purpose of providing crisis health care during a pandemic to a population already beleaguered with living in an area facing a paucity of services.