Strategic Use of Research
in Catholic Advocacy,
Services, and Institutions2019 Catholic Immigrant Integration Initiative Conference
March 11-13, 2019
Daniela Alulema, Center for Migration Studies
CONTENTS Communities in Crisis01 /
02 /
Democratizing Data
COMMUNITIES IN CRISIS
• 133 deportees from the United States at a migrant shelter in Mexico
• 20 interviews with family members of deportees and community members in
three US parishes
Research Methodology:
A study by the Kino Border Initiative,
CMS, and the Office of Justice and
Ecology to identify the characteristics
of deportees and the effects of
deportation on them, their families,
and their communities
SURVEY FINDINGSAbout Deportees
01Long and deep ties
• Lived in the US for 19.9
years in average
• More than half entered
as minors
• 26% are US homeowners
04Plans to return to the US
02Family and economic ties
• 78% had US citizen
children
• 42% had US citizen
spouse or partner
• 96% was employed in the
US
• 10 years in same job
03Economic impact of deportation
• Had $142 at time of
deportation
• 74% did not have enough
to support children
• Close family members
depended on them
• 74% planned to return to
the US
• 45% identified only a little
or “not at all” with country
of birth
• Only 35% reported feeling
safe since deportation
01 Children of deported migrants experience anxiety, depression, and decreased academic performance
INTERVIEW FINDINGSFrom deportees and their families
“I feel like I am a very social person, and when [my parent’s
deportation] was going on, I isolated myself from everybody. I
lost friendships. I’d come home from class and I would just lay
in bed not wanting to do anything. I would have mental
breakdowns. My sister was the same. She was way more quiet.
Now she has panic attacks. She didn’t have panic attacks
before.”
— Daughter of deported immigrant
02Children who left the country with their deported parents have experienced difficulties in adjusting to their new lives
INTERVIEW FINDINGS
“Every time we talk about this topic, it hurts and we cry. My 16-
year-old daughter will probably go to study to the United
States because she is having difficulties with Spanish and
cannot keep up with advanced classes in Spanish. Her entire
life she has thought in English. My children told me I did not
love them because if I had, I would have left them where they
were happy.”
- Deported mother
From deportees and their families
03 Need for plan in case of a deportation
INTERVIEW FINDINGS
“We took it lightly and thought it would never happen to us.
We didn’t make a plan. I used to be very active in the
community. I helped and organized meetings where we
discussed how to prevent and prepare for deportations just in
case [Trump] would fulfill his word. But to be honest, I wasn’t
prepared.”
— Mother of three US citizen children and wife of deported
immigrant
From deportees and their families
DEMOCRATIZING DATA
Makes demographic data on immigrants accessible to a wide range of users
• Eligible-to-naturalize• Undocumented• Refugees• DACA eligible• TPS eligible
Provides estimates on the size and characteristics of:
www.data.cmsny.org
OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC AND SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS
• Total Population
• Region of Origin
• Top countries of origin
• Period of entry
• Years in the US
• Arrived before age 16
• Language spoken at home
• Ability to speak English
• School enrollment
• Education level
• Marital status
• Age
• Sex
• Access to computer or
internet
• Poverty status
• Employment status
• Occupation
• Health insurance coverage
• Race by ethnicity
UNDOCUMENTED POPULATION IN
SANTA CLARA COUNTY = 151,593
Poverty Status
Above poverty threshold 139,275 (92%)
At or below 12,317 (8%)
Employment Status
Employed 110,140 (96%)
Unemployed 4,520 (4%)
Health Insurance Coverage
With coverage 127,630 (84%)
With no coverage 23,964 (16%)
Race by Ethnicity
Asian 71,547 (47%)
Hispanic 69,614 (46%)
White 7,419 (5%)
Black 2,064 (1%)
Countries of origin
Mexico 58,287 (38%)
India 37,578 (25%)
China 15,444 (10%)
Sex
Female 70,020 (46%)
Male 81,575 (54%)
UNDOCUMENTED POPULATION IN
SANTA CLARA COUNTY = 151,593
Ability to Speak English
Speaks English very well 75,819 (51%)
Speaks English well 35,805 (24%)
Speaks English a little 31,220 (21%)
Does not speak English 6,929 (5%)
Educational attainment
< high school diploma 31,696 (23%)
High school diploma 26,423 (19%)
Some college 16,279 (12%)
Bachelor's degree or higher 64,090 (46%)
Age Years in the US
20%
25%
20%
18%
17% Less than 5
5 to 9
10 to 14
15 to 19
20 or more
9%
7%
30%
35%
19%
0%
0 to 17
18 to 24
25 to 34
35 to 44
45 to 64
65 and older
THANKYOU!