Illuminating Agency: A Latin@ Immigrant Parent's<i>Testimonio</i>on the Intersection of Immigration Reform and Schools

Abstract

Anti-immigration reform has created a hostile and threatening climate for Latin@ immigrants and their families. Simple everyday acts that are often taken for granted (i.e. parents dropping off children at school, driving to the grocery store, etc.) became acts that threaten to separate families. As a result, many Latin@ families are currently “living in the shadows” — hiding their immigration status from any agency (including schools) or individuals that may pose a threat. Via the use of field notes and interviews, the author reconstructs one parent's (Blanca) experience cruzando la frontera/crossing the border, as well the moment when Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials appeared at her doorstep, and subsequent actions thereafter. By utilizing Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Latin@ Critical Race Theory (LatCrit), this study centers and prioritizes Blanca's experience navigating the intersecting space between seemingly disconnected immigration reforms and school policies and practices. In doing this, the author illuminates the moment when the convergence of immigration reform and the school resulted in a heightened awareness of parental agency.