abstract: The role of the American police is to work for and with the communities they serve. The relationship between police and community, however, has not always been a positive one. In recent decades, police organizations throughout the United States have attempted various approaches to addressing the problem. Most recently, they have been focused on improving that relationship by enhancing their legitimacy. This practice is commonly known as the process-based model of policing: theoretically, a procedurally just interaction will enhance legitimacy, which in turn will enhance willingness to cooperate with the police. The benefit for police agencies in enhancing legitimacy lies in the idea that when the police are perceived as a legitimate entity, the public will be more likely to cooperate with them. Enhancing police legitimacy also offers benefits for the public, as this is preceded by a procedurally just interaction. The goal of this dissertation is to assess the applicability of the process-based model of policing to an under-studied population: Hispanics and undocumented immigrants residing within Maricopa County, Arizona. The analysis for this dissertation uses data from two different sources: a sample of Maricopa County residents (n=854) and a sample of Maricopa County arrestees (n=2268). These data are used to assess three research questions. The first research question focuses on assessing the applicability of the process-based model of regulation as a theoretical framework to study this population. The second research question compares Hispanic and White respondents’ views of procedural justice, police legitimacy, and how these perceptions relate to their willingness to cooperate with the police. The last research question examines the differences between undocumented immigrants’ and U.S. citizens’ perceptions of procedural justice, police legitimacy, and how these perceptions relate to their willingness to cooperate with the police. In doing so, this study examined the convergent and discriminant validity of key theoretical constructs. Among several notable findings, the results show that the process-based model of regulation is a promising framework within which to assess perceptions of the police. However, the framework was only supported by the sample of arrestees. Implications for theory, practice, and suggestions for future research are discussed. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Justice Studies 2017

abstract: In recent years the state of Arizona passed a series of laws affecting undocumented immigrants, including Proposition 300 in 2006 outlawing in-state tuition for undocumented youth. However, there has also been a reaction from these youth who refused to be relegated to the shadows and are demanding rights. Using mixed ethnographic methods, this dissertation research analyzes how undocumented Mexican youth in Arizona have experienced liminality after the passage of Proposition 300 as well as their ability to utilize their increased marginalization in order to build community amongst themselves and fight for basic rights--a process known as cultural citizenship. These immigrant youth are of the 1.5 generation, who are brought to the United States at a young age, grow up in the country and share characteristics with both first and second- generation immigrants. Even though undocumented 1.5 generation immigrants are raised and acculturated within this country and treated the same as other children while in the public school system, they have been denied basic rights upon approaching adulthood because of their illegality. This includes limiting access to affordable higher education as well as public services and legal work. Consequently, they are unable to fully incorporate into U.S. society and they end up transitioning into illegality after leaving school. This is especially true in Arizona, a state that has passed some of the strictest anti-immigrant laws in the country aiming to deter undocumented immigrants from staying in the state. However, I argue that this increased marginalization has had an unintended consequence of creating a space that allowed for these youth to come together and form a community. I further posit that this community provides valuable social capital and access to resources and information that mitigates the possibility of downward assimilation. Moreover, this community offers its members a safety net that allows them to publically claim their undocumented status in order to fight for their right to have a pathway towards citizenship. As a result, they have been able to gain some victories, but are still fighting for their ultimate goal to become citizens. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Anthropology 2014

During the last decade, immigration operations have drastically increased in the United States. Between 2009 and 2015, the Obama administration deported a record high of 2.4 million unauthorized immigrants (Homeland Security, 2016). Due to the amplified number of migrants being deported, the number of individuals in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers has also increased. Consequently, this phenomenon has raised concerns regarding undocumented migrants’ access to medical services in these facilities. This research project was conducted in order to assess the quality of medical and health care services in ICE detention centers in the state of Arizona. It also examined whether the ICE operational manuals and detention standards on medical care were being followed and were consistent with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The findings indicated that ICE was not compliant with a major portion of their Performance-Based National Detention Standards on medical care and thus, were violating the basic human rights of undocumented immigrants in detention centers as stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Research studies have pointed to specific challenges for undocumented Latino immigrants including exploitation in the workplace (Stoddard, 1976), denial of health care (Angel, Frias & Hill, 2005; Passel, 2005) and lack of access to higher education (Seif, 2004). In addition, fear is never far from their consciousness. Fear of being identified as illegal and faced with possible arrest and deportation are realities for undocumented Latino immigrants. Both work and home are unsafe, particularly because of immigration raids by federal agents. In addition they are stigmatized by mainstream society (Padilla & Perez, 2003). Even the word "undocumented" has been used interchangeably with words like "illegal" and "alien" suggesting criminal behavior. These hardships make it difficult for these immigrants to become part of mainstream society and create barriers to opportunities. All of these factors should logically discourage Latin Americans from immigrating to the United States. However, both the documented and undocumented Latino populations in the United States continue to increase. Although the situation of new Latino immigrants, especially those who are undocumented, seems extremely difficult, there is something unexplained occurring that has not been accounted for in current research that allows them to survive these hardships. In addition, there is a gap in information about the immigration process gathered from immigrants themselves. Therefore, this study uses a qualitative descriptive approach to learn from undocumented immigrants about their experiences when they first came to the United States and how they negotiate their situation while living in the United States. The major findings of this study offer an inside look into the world of undocumented Latino immigrants. The obstacles these immigrants face were language barriers, limited education and unfair wages at work. On the other hand, they also identify facilitators that were helpful during their initial transition into the U.S such as getting help in finding a job, knowing someone in the United States before immigrating, being connected to support networks, and receiving support from others who shared their struggles. However, these findings do not reflect the whole story. Even though most of these Latino immigrants underwent stress and adversity as new undocumented immigrants, the study shows how they transformed their suffering using their personal strengths and drawing on support from a close-knit community. At the same time they maintained their cultural identity both in their immigrant community and within the larger community where they resided. An additional factor which contributed to their survival was that this particular community is unique in preserving the different cultures of ethnic groups rather than fusing them into a "melting pot." Recommendations for practice include using a strengths perspective with clients and community; recommendations for teaching include using interdisciplinary educational strategies and involving students in experiential learning experiences with immigrants. Additional recommendation for policy and research are made.

In this thesis, I analyse how the rights of undocumented migrants are understood and represented by different actors, such as politicians, public sector representatives, and Finnish scholars, in Finnish newspapers between 2015-2019. I conduct an argumentation analysis of secondary source news articles, drawing on a theoretical framework of Differentiation Theory and Social Constructivist Approach. This study identifies some key factors, which have contributed to the construction of an unclear understanding of undocumented migrants' rights. My results show that the identified factors have inter alia, led to significant municipal differences in the provision of rights. I argue that due to various factors, the understanding and representation of the rights of undocumented migrants differ widely, thus creating ambiguity to the overall understanding. The findings contribute to earlier research made on the rights of undocumented migrants in Finland as it examines how the rights are understood and represented and could potentially be employed both in policy development and understanding the concept itself.

The aim of this study is to compare organisations that help victims from human trafficking and prostitution with a focus on undocumented migrants. Germany is one of the chosen countries in this study because of the legalised and regulated prostitution policy and will be compared with Sweden with the contrasting policy in which sex purchase is criminalised but not to sell sex. To answer the study’s research question ‘What are the differences and similarities between the German and Swedish organisations’ approach in providing beneficial needs for the victims such as medical and economic resources?’ a thematic analysis will be used to find similarities and differentiation of the organisations describing methods that is stated on their websites. The paper uses feminist theories through approaches from feminist Empiricism, feminist Standpoint Epistemology, feminist Liberalism, and feminist Marxism. It is mainly through the feminist Liberal theories that explains how organisation in Germany differentiate in their handling of helping undocumented migrants in prostitution combined with Germany’s laws regarding illegal migrants. Contrary to Sweden that has feminist Marxist point of view regarding the prostitution policy since Sweden recognises all prostitutes as victims. The paper also finds that, by using the feminist empiricism and Standpoint epistemology, the organisations describe their work in similar ways regarding creating awareness of human trafficking.

This paper investigates the current situation of the youth that applied for asylum in Sweden in 2015 as Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC). Specifically the former UASC youth from the Hazara ethnic group who were denied asylum yet are still living as undocumented in the municipality of Malmö, Sweden in 2018, now aged between 18 to 21 years old. This case study employs a hermeneutic-constructivist approach utilising semi-structured interviews with 10 of these Hazara unaccompanied, undocumented asylum seeking (UUAS) youth to examine their experiences and perspectives in terms of political and emotional belonging to communities and places in which they experience some form of marginalisation. Theories surrounding the concepts of belonging which consists of both emotional and political elements will be used, along with ‘othering’, to frame the youth’s experiences. The results of this study demonstrate how political belonging affects emotional belonging in various ways depending on context. The study also highlights how the impact of elements within both forms of belonging are assessed by individuals, and how these considerations are instrumental to a migrants decision to remain in, or leave, a location. This study also calls for further research in this field on these concepts of belonging affect marginalised groups.

Local context should be considered a significant social determinant of health for immigrant communities, particularly those with precarious legal status. In this thesis I use a study done by Lilia Cervantes, MD and collegeaues of undocumented immigrants with end-stage renal disease attempting to access healthcare in three different US states to expand on my argument. Due to the lack of comprehensive federal immigration reform since 1986, many immigrants depend on the Emergency Medical and Active Labor Treatment Act (EMTALA) to access healthcare, which provides emergency-only care. Without federal mandates, further healthcare for this population is dependent on local laws and/or safety-net services. As a result, this local context impacts their medical outcomes, healthcare utilization and economic costs and acts as a potential moral hazard to family, patients and providers of and serving immigrant communities. / Urban Bioethics

The intent of this thesis is to examine current perceptions that U.S. Americans have about immigrants coming to the U.S. illegally/ undocumented. There is currently an ongoing debate around immigration in today's political climate. Historically, immigration has always happened in the U.S. and has sparked a vast array of feelings from the U.S. population (Obinna 2018). This study aims to contribute to the existing literature on undocumented immigration to the U.S. and opinion surrounding it. The current study uses the opinion of 177 people to compare current perceptions of undocumented people based on gender, income, and political standing. This study found that income was not related to opinion on immigration. Specific questions regarding border control, undocumented immigrants as a problem, and whether children and families should be detained were found to be answered differently based on gender. It also found that those who identified as more conservative-leaning had more negative opinions surrounding undocumented immigrants.

The thesis explores how some undocumented Latinx immigrants thrive and understand their personhood and security in the current “immigration crisis” in the U.S. Using ethnographic tools such as interviews and participant observation, I gathered undocumented Latinx immigrants’ narratives about living in Orlando, Florida. I concluded that American immigration policies use lack-of-freedom strategies to limit their experiences and rights as human beings, also as a means to deter future immigrants. Through the lens of undocumented Latinx immigrants’ stories, I analyze the relationship between freedom, power, and identity in the social hierarchy of privileges in the United States to understand how their experiences are negatively affected by intersectional issues. The COVID-19 pandemic was a breaking point that made more visible the structural inequality and vulnerability of undocumented migrants alongside other marginal populations. In this research, I expand an anthropological discussion to think through more just alternatives of life and humanizing immigration policies in the United States. I raise both anthropological and philosophical questions for addressing these social justice matters.