Review of "Borders of Belonging: Struggle and Solidarity in Mixed Status Immigrant Families

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2020

Publication Title

American Journal of Sociology

Abstract

Heide Castañeda’sBorders of Belonging: Struggle and Solidarity in Mixed-Status Immigrant Familiesprovides an essential and timely analysis of how“illegality”impacts 100 mixed-status families (i.e., families that include atleast one undocumented family member and at least one documented familymember, including temporary statuses, such as Deferred Action for Child-hood Arrivals [DACA]) living in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) of SouthTexaslocated along the U.S.-Mexico border. Castañeda adeptly gives voice tothe private and often heart-wrenching narratives of mixed-status familiesin the context of harsh U.S. immigration policy. She argues that immigrationreform cannot ignore the needs of mixed-status families because they havebecome a permanentfixture of contemporary U.S. immigration reality. Un-documented legal status in the family influences the outcomes and resourcesfor the entire family, even for those with citizenship and other legal statuses.Castañeda points out that the notion of illegality must be understood as afamily matter and not an individual issue. Her conception of mixed-statusfamilies is refreshingly comprehensive, including the often neglected storiesof siblings with differing legal status, same-sex partnerships, and extendedfamily members, not just child-parent relationships.

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