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Report: An Immigrant Well-Being Analysis of the Presidential Candidates Immigration Policies
Where do the Presidential candidates stand on immigration policy? Immigration has been in the spotlight during the 2024 election season, with voters consistently ranking it among the most pressing issues as they prepare to cast their ballots on November 5th, 2024. With early voting underway and Election Day fast approaching, the Im/migrant Well-Being Scholar Collaborative shares the following analysis to provide an assessment of the proposed immigration policies supported by each candidate and their parties and their potential impacts on im/migrant well-being. This report was written by Thomas J. Rachko, Jr. and Liz Ventura Molina.
November 4, 2024Publications & Products
Resilient Journeys: Navigating Cultural Shock and Identity in Florida
Last summer, doctoral student Viktoryia Sliaptsova from the Department of Sociology and Social Sciences, embarked on a pivotal study titled, “New ‘Americans’ in Florida: Culture Shock, Emotions, and Identity Dilemmas of Newcomer Immigrants and Refugees from Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine." Sponsored by the Im/migrant Well-Being Research Center, this research aims to uncover the intricate process of adaptation and identity negotiation faced by newly arrived immigrants and refugees as they begin their lives in Florida.
October 28, 2024Publications & Products
Immigration has been a central issue in the 2024 presidential race, with candidates from both the Republican and Democratic parties proposing immigration policies that will inevitably affect im/migrant well-being. In this episode, we discuss some of the central pillars of both candidates’ proposed policies and based on past research, we analyze how these policies may impact im/migrant well-being.
October 22, 2024Podcast
Dr. Elizabeth Aranda was recently interviewed and quoted in The Washington Post discussing the challenges that immigrant families face in receiving disaster aid. In the article, Dr. Aranda highlights the barriers due to immigration status and language, emphasizing the need for more accessible aid processes. Her insights help shed light on the struggles of marginalized communities during crisis situations.
October 17, 2024Publications & Products
Dr. Elizabeth Aranda was featured on WUSF's NPR affiliate radio show "Florida Matters" to discuss the complexities of the immigration system in Florida and its wide-ranging impacts. The episode delved into the nuances of immigration law, community effects, and the experiences of diverse voices within the state. This insightful discussion aired amid heightened attention to immigration during the presidential election campaign and recent natural disasters impacting the region.
October 8, 2024Publications & Products
In contrast to the criminal justice system, immigrants who come before a judge in civil immigration court are not guaranteed the right to legal representation should they be unable to afford it, yet in some cases they face consequences as severe as those applied in criminal cases. In this episode, we discuss whether immigrants facing detention and deportation should have access to the right to counsel by evaluating some of the research on the consequences of lacking legal representation and potential policy solutions.
September 18, 2024Podcast
Dr. Elizabeth Aranda receives 2024 Award for Public Sociology in International Migration
This award recognizes the work of an IM section member who addresses immigration and related issues in ways that apply scholarly knowledge directly in public work, generates such knowledge for public use, or otherwise contributes to improving the lives of migrants or refugees.
August 29, 2024Research
A slate of laws enacted this year continue the state's crackdown on illegal immigration. Advocates say the changes come as Florida's immigrant community is still reeling from last year's policies.
August 29, 2024Research
Article discusses the impact of a new slate of immigration laws signed by Governor Ron DeSantis, particularly on undocumented immigrants. Dr. Elizabeth Aranda highlights the findings of a forthcoming survey conducted by the IWRC, which reveal how these policies have exacerbated family separation and increased psychological distress within immigrant communities. The center’s research reveals the far-reaching consequences of these policies, as many families struggle with heightened emotional and economic pressures.
August 29, 2024Policy Analysis
Florida’s SB 1718, a law that criminalized many aspects of life as an immigrant, passed in the Florida legislature and was signed into law in 2023. One year later, how have immigrants responded to this law, and what are the effects and implications for the state of Florida? In this episode, we will discuss SB 1718’s effects on immigrants’ lives and in their communities.
August 14, 2024Podcast
Publication in Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, August, 1–18. Castañeda, Heide, and Amine Bit. 2024. This article examines the experiences of Amazigh immigrants (plural: Imazighen) and how they negotiate ethnoracial hierarchies in the United States. Imazighen are Indigenous peoples from North Africa; upon arrival to the U.S., they are confronted with ethnoracial categories into which they don’t fit neatly, particularly due to their Indigenous status.
August 11, 2024Publications & Products
Opponents of immigration often link immigration to crime, and rhetoric in the media has casted immigrants as criminals, leading some public officials to propose greater immigration control as a mechanism to reduce crime. This episode examines the relationship between immigration and crime to debunk the many myths circulating in the media about immigrants to the U.S.
May 29, 2024Podcast