[4] The nature of immigration policy dehumanizes individuals in mixed status families through practices that threat and harm, such as deportation procedures, which is when a migrant is formally removed from the United States and is banned from reentering.
They may process their experiences with a consciousness that mirrors that of their undocumented parents, even though many are U.S. born citizens with all of the benefits rights, and privileges that U.S. citizenship carries.
Therefore, it is of high importance to understand their experiences in this country and the impact that a mixed status has on the children growing up in these families facing unique needs and challenges.
Family members who may have previously been the primary breadwinners in the country of origin may be unable to find gainful employment due to their undocumented status.
[6] Individuals who lack formal documentation may also feel less empowered to seek legal recourse because of fear of having their undocumented status made known.
[13] Thus, the unequal access to employment opportunities can generate inequality among family members of different legal statuses.
[14] Immigrant parents with limited English language ability may be unaware they are eligible for such benefits, or may not know how to take advantage of social welfare programs.
[10] In addition, parents who are undocumented may be afraid to deal with government agencies, even if their citizen children are eligible for such assistance programs.
The anti-immigrant sentiment increases this and then would deter mixed-status mothers to not to participate in government programs in which their U.S. born children are eligible to receive.
Undocumented immigrants in mixed status families tend to work in jobs that do not provide employee based health insurance and/or employed in occupations that pay off the books.
Immigrants may find that they are a part of a lower socioeconomic status group in the United States than they were in their home country.
Individuals who may have held professional occupations in their country of origin may find themselves in low-paying jobs if their certifications are not recognized by the United States.
When families migrate to the United States from a country with a patriarchal society, men in particular may experience a loss of status.
[20][21][22] Men, who may have been accustomed to filling the role of sole "breadwinner" in their home country may find themselves unable to do so in the United States.
[20][21] The increase in the number of female-dominated industries in the United States means that there are often more employment options for women in the low-wage sector than for men.
[23] Factors such as limited English language ability, legal status, and lack of social ties may create additional barriers for those trying to escape such situations.
[8] Even when a woman does have access to social services that could help her escape an abusive situation, cultural norms may make it difficult for her to leave.
If a woman decides to leave an abusive spouse she may run the risk of social ostracism and of bringing shame to her family.
[21][25] The general support for gender equality within American society can undermine traditional power hierarchies within the family in which men had control over the actions of women.
[20] U.S. laws do not support this sort of arrangement and women who are aware of their rights can utilize formal legal institutions to combat such gender imbalances within the family.
The ability of government authorities to intervene in the realm of the family can undermine the traditional power balance and leave men feeling dispossessed.
Given the various legal and economical factors associated with transnational migration, certain family members may find it easier to immigrate to the United States than others.
Studies on Taiwanese and Korean immigrants in New York found that the distribution of household labor in the home varied with class.
[20] In the United States, the scope of this household work is expanded to include dealing with larger institutions like schools, utility companies, and the health-care system.
Language barriers and the threat of feeling powerless may lead men to avoid interactions with such bureaucracies, leaving the job of navigating these complex systems to women.
Assimilation into American society may create changes in the traditional family structure, particularly among immigrants who come from cultures in which age is a strong determinant of status and power.
Among immigrants who come from cultures with strict hierarchies based on age, such interventions can be devastating to parents who may feel that their authority has been undermined.
However, at the same time, they feel excluded in real life because they cannot easily debunk their undocumented immigrant status[clarification needed].
[14][17] On the other hand, the effort that these immigrant parents put into trying to help their children do well in school can have a significant impact on the academic achievement of students.
Members of later generations generally have access to a wider range of jobs which provide them with greater opportunities for upward social mobility.