Enhancing Immigrant Participation in Research and Activism amid Extreme Hostile Environments

The United States is home to 47.8 million immigrants, making up 14.3% of the nation's total population. While some immigrants can eventually become naturalized citizens, many face prolonged waiting periods or lack any legal pathways to adjust their status. This roundtable discussion will explore strategies to enhance the comfort and engagement of immigrant communities across the legal spectrum in research and political activism, especially in hostile environments marked by increased ICE activity, the use of Guantanamo Bay as a holding cell, pending litigation on birthright citizenship, and widespread policies promoting self-deportation. The session will bring together experts who will share their insights and experiences working with various immigrant communities, addressing the challenges and opportunities in fostering engagement and empowerment. We aim to address the following question: How can social workers conduct high-quality studies amid extreme hostile environments? The first speaker will share insights on recruiting and interviewing immigrant and refugee participants in community-engaged research, drawing from her previous studies involving refugees and Asian immigrants. She will address both qualitative and quantitative research approaches, highlighting the benefits and challenges of collaborating with nonprofit and community organizations particularly refugee resettlement agencies for participant recruitment. Her discussion will include strategies for navigating language barriers when participants are not fluent in English, including the use of interpretation services. She will also explore effective ways to disseminate research findings to immigrant and refugee communities and how to leverage research to inform policy and promote social and economic justice at the community level. Secondly, we will discuss secondary data analysis and methods scholars use to stratify nationally representative samples by immigration legal status in surveys such as the Current Population Survey. Third, a speaker will draw on previous research experience to discuss his approach to building relationships with undocumented Latinx populations in the Midwest. His discussion will include strategies for identifying key stakeholders within the community, collaborating with community organizations and community members, balancing service and research, navigating identity issues in qualitative research, building in safeguards to protect undocumented research participants, sampling methods, and navigating the IRB process. Fourth, we will discuss the importance of mindful consideration of immigration policies and legal status even for those researchers, practitioners, and educators who do not exclusively focus on or work with immigrant communities. The speaker's research, organizing, and practice has largely focused on Latino communities, and through this work she has realized the need for inclusive practices that protect research participants, co-collaborators, and students; as well as practices that push back against current policies that target immigrant communities. Lastly, we will focus on how policies influence gentrification and neighborhood displacement. Insights will be explored on methods such as oral histories including testimonios, community mapping, photovoice, critical ethnography, and policy analysis. We will discuss practical, community-focused tools that strengthen collaborations between communities and institutions to advance a more just and equitable society. By addressing diverse perspectives and practical strategies, the session seeks to contribute to the ongoing efforts to empower immigrants and enhance their participation in research and activism.