Family Preservation Strategies: Regendering Labor in Mixed-Status Marriage After Co-Deportation

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-2021

Publication Title

Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare

ISSN

0191-5096

Abstract

Harsh U.S. deportation policies disproportionately target Latin American immigrant working-class men and subsequently divide families. The unique experiences of co-deported mixed-status couples are missing from the deportation literature—that is, U.S. citizens, primarily women, who live outside of the United States with their deported Latin American immigrant spouses (what we call co-deportation) rather than living separately. Using hegemonic masculinity, this research qualitatively analyzes the experiences of eleven mixed-status couples internationally co-deported. Findings suggest couples' gender dynamics shift paid and unpaid labor to sustain family life living as co-deportees. Co-deported couples are a testament to how adaptable heterosexual gender dynamics can be, but they also demonstrate the deep entrenchment of hegemonic gender. This research provides implications for social workers advocating for transnational co-deported families.

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