Far from angels: Examining DACA recipients’ lived experience of stigma

Abstract

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand Latinx DACA recipients' lived experience of stigma in the Midwest. There is a dearth of research examining the stigmatization of undocumented immigrants living in the United States. In the context of an immigrant-hostile socio-political climate, the current study sought to comprehensively describe the stigma facing Latinx DACAmented immigrants from their own perspectives. Using Pryor and Reeder’s (2011) conceptual model of stigma, we explored how three types of stigma, public stigma, self-stigma, and structural stigma, presented in the lives of DACA recipients. Eight semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with Latinx DACA recipients in Iowa. Seven clustered themes emerged: Stigma is Understood, but Difficult to Define; Perceptions of Public Stigma are Defined by Individual Experiences; Individual Factors Drive Experiences of Self-Stigma; Structural Stigma is Pervasive, Impactful, and Limiting; Trump Created Stigma, Fear, and Hopelessness in the Community; Coping Strategies and Their Effectiveness Varies; and The ‘Right’ Type of Immigrant. The current study adds to the stigma literature related by illuminating how a historically marginalized population perceives, interprets, and is affected by several forms of stigma in their own words.