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Mexican American Immigrants Analysis

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Social Science

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Analytical Review

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. In terms of immigration status, most Mexican American immigrants in the study were

not concerned as much with their status whilst in the United States. This may be due to the

location of the study, a region with many legal Mexican American immigrants and no policies

designed to prosecute undocumented immigrants. The lack of association between immigration

stress and alcohol use severity due to immigration status suggests that the Mexican American

immigrants in Florida were driven to depend on alcohol by experiences and encounters when

traveling to the United States and upon arriving. The final moderator analyzed in the study was

the role of social support. Mexican American immigrants that came to the United States in

groups and with family members were found to be less affected by immigration stress on

alcohol use severity. Adversely, many Mexicans that had a lower family cohesion lacked the

same social support and turned to abusing alcohol upon entering the United States. This

supports the claim that experiences both along the journey from Mexico to the United States

and when living in the United States impose stress upon Mexican American immigrants leading

them to rely on the abuse of alcohol to deal with that stress.

For many families in Mexico, it is impossible for all family members to migrate to the

United States due to a lack of financial capability. As a result of this, many Mexican men, usually

husbands and fathers, migrate to the United States alone with the goal of finding a stable job

with satisfying income and continuing to provide for their families by sending some of that

income back to Mexico. This system of familial support places a lot of new stress on the women

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back in Mexico. The wives of the men that migrate to the United States are introduced to

“significant stressors associated with the loss of support, with adjustment to new obligations,

and with the potential for family disintegration” (Borges). In some cases, the absence of a

family member was even associated with higher rates of acute coronary syndrome. Not all

Mexican American immigrants are successful in the United States though. Due to an increase in

border patrol and deportation laws, some Mexican American immigrants end up returning to

Mexico either by force or because they were not able to secure a job. Return migrants are more

likely to develop a dependence disorder or abuse substances than others in the Mexican

population. Their failure to achieve success in the United States pushes them to drown their

sorrow and numb the pain, exponentially increasing their risk for suicidality. These stressors

account for an increased risk for suicidality amongst Mexican American immigrants and their

families back in Mexico. Research also shows that Mexican American children both born in the

United States and brought over at a young age are at a higher risk for suicide-related outcomes

than Mexican children that never leave. This is a result of the trauma experienced when

traveling at a young age and the introduction to discrimination when growing up in the United

States as an individual of Mexican origin. Some children had to endure displays of violence

against their parents and loved ones when traveling as their parents fought for their protection

from human smugglers and thieves. Most were taught to be quiet and not act out around

others so as not to draw attention both when traveling and attending schools in the United

States. The fear of losing their parents is always prevalent amongst children born in the United

States from Mexican American immigrants. In 2010, “the state of Arizona passed one of the

most restrictive immigration policies, SB1070, which allows police officers to verify individuals’

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. In terms of immigration status, most Mexican American immigrants in the study were not concerned as much with their status whilst in the United States. This may be due to the location of the study, a region with many legal Mexican American immigrants and no policies designed to prosecute undocumented immigrants. The lack of association between immigration stress and alcohol use severity due to immigration status suggests that the Mexican American immigrants in Florida were driven to depend on alcohol by experiences and encounters when traveling to the United States and upon arriving. The final moderator analyzed in the study was the role of social support. Mexican American immigrants that came to the United States in groups and with family members were found to be less affected by immigration stress on alcohol use severity. Adversely, many Mexicans that had a lower family cohesion lacked the same social support and turned to abusing alcohol upon entering the United States. This supports the claim that experiences both along the journey from Mexico to the United States and when living in the United States impose stress upon Mexican American immigrants leading them to rely on the abuse of alcohol to deal with that stress. For many families in Mexico, it is impossible for all family members to migrate to the United States due to a lack of financial capability. As a result of this, many Mexican men, usually husbands and fathers, migrate to the United States alone with the goal ...
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Tags: Mexican American immigrants people of Hispanic origin women of Mexican physical or sexual violence immigrating from Mexico to America