Supporting Newcomer Latinx Immigrant Youth and Families through Arts-Based Engagement and Community Support during a Time of Restrictive Immigration Enforcement

Background and Purpose: The Trump Administration, Congress and states are taking actions that pose threats to immigrant children and children in immigrant families including; promoting hate-filled rhetoric towards immigrant communities to justify policy choices, increasing immigration enforcement in the interior and the border, expanding who is targeted for deportation, restricting humanitarian admissions, threatening Birthright Citizenship, reducing access to public benefits, services, and education, and criminalizing immigrant families and youth; to name just a few. These evolving immigration policies, combined with federal rhetoric promising large-scale deportations, have created widespread fear within immigrant communities and threats to immigrant child and family safety. These policy shifts are expected to have ripple effects on broader communities, leading to a "chilling effect" where immigrant families withdraw from public life—avoiding healthcare, attending school, social services, law enforcement, and educational institutions due to concerns about exposure to immigration enforcement.

This qualitative study examined how contemporary immigration policies and enforcement policies impact the well-being, identity development, and access to services among newcomer immigrant Latinx youth and families who are disproportionately impacted by restrictive immigration measures. It also explored how community-based agencies are filling in the gaps and providing vital support during these volatile times. Given these systemic barriers, there is a critical need to document and elevate the voices of youth, immigrant families, and service providers through research that is not only rigorous but also participatory and trauma-informed.

Methods: This pilot study employed a qualitative approach to examine how immigrant newcomer youth and families are experiencing the current immigration climate and how schools, faith-based organizations, and social services, are serving their unique needs. N=10 youth participants were recruited from a public high school in the Bay Area, CA. to engage in an arts-based focus group that explored their testimonios and experiences regarding the current social-political immigration climate, how schools are serving their needs, and provided a space for mutual aid and community-based resource sharing. N= 10 adult participants engaged in a local faith-based center were recruited to share their testimonios and experiences navigating the restrictive policy landscape. Thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 20060) was used to analyze the findings.

Results: Findings showed that immigrant youth and adults experienced: 1) Widespread fear and hypervigilance in daily life; 2) erosion of trust in institutions; 3) emotional toll and identity conflict; 4) disengagement from public services; 5) schools as inconsistent sources of support; 6) faith-based and community organizations as lifelines.

Conclusions and Implications: Strengthening trauma-informed and culturally responsive practice, promoting trust-building and confidentiality, increasing institutional advocacy and policy engagement. It is critical to collaborate with community-based and faith-based organizations. Given their role as trusted supports, social workers should build intentional partnerships with local organizations that are embedded in immigrant communities while addressing the "chilling effect" through outreach and education.