Sibling relationships among U.S. citizen children of undocumented Mexican parents

• Published in: Family process 2022-06, Vol.61 (2), p.873-889
• Main Authors: Londoño, Tatiana, Gulbas, Lauren E., Zayas, Luis H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anxiety; Caregiving; Child; Children; Citizens; Communication; Deportation; Detention; Emigration and Immigration; Enforcement; Humans; Immigration; Immigration policy; Legal status; Mexican‐origin families; Mexico; Parents & parenting; Parents - psychology; Psychosocial factors; Psychosocial functioning; Sibling Relations; Sibling relationships; Siblings; Threats; Triads; Undocumented immigrants
• ISSN: 0014-7370; 1545-5300
• DOI: 10.1111/famp.12685

Current U.S. immigration policies disproportionately impact Mexican‐origin mixed‐status families, yet few studies examine the consequences of immigration enforcement (e.g., immigration‐related arrest and detention) and deportation on sibling dynamics. Given this gap, this study focuses on the experiences and changes within sibling relationships in the aftermath of parental detention and deportation. We analyzed a subsample of 20 citizen children interviews (7 sibling dyads; 2 sibling triads) from a multi‐site binational study that examined the psychosocial functioning of U.S. citizen children with undocumented Mexican parents. Using inductive thematic analysis, we explored the roles and functional importance of sibling relationships before and after experiences of parents’ detention and deportation. Our findings suggest that prior to detention or deportation experiences, sibling relationships were described as “normal.” After these experiences, however, sibling relationships changed and developed protective adaptations, including more open communication about their experiences and the assumption of caregiving roles. In cases where deportation did not occur, there still existed the threat of future immigration‐related action, which contributed to fear and an inability to share feelings and experiences among siblings. Our findings suggest that sibling relationships might serve as an important locus of stability and protection. Yet, adaptive communication may not emerge as long as the threat of apprehension, detention, and deportation exists. Resumen Las políticas migratorias actuales de los Estados Unidos afectan de manera desproporcionada a las familias de condición migratoria mixta de origen mexicano, sin embargo, pocos estudios analizan las consecuencias de la aplicación de las leyes de inmigración (por ej.: el arresto y la detención relacionados con la inmigración) y la deportación en la dinámica fraternal. Teniendo en cuenta esta falta de datos, el presente estudio se centra en las experiencias y los cambios dentro de las relaciones fraternales después de la detención y la deportación de los padres. Analizamos una submuestra de 20 entrevistas a niños ciudadanos (7 díadas de hermanos; 2 tríadas de hermanos) de un estudio binacional realizado en varios sitios que analizó el funcionamiento psicosocial de niños ciudadanos de los Estados Unidos con padres mexicanos indocumentados. Utilizando el análisis temático inductivo, analizamos los roles y la importanc