Do Resilience and Social Support Mitigate Fear of Deportation Among Latina Mothers?

By Fatemeh Bakhshalizadeh, Clinton Gudmunson, Kimberley Greder

Previous literature on Latinx immigrants in the US mostly focuses on the negative effects of fear of deportation on this population. However, limited studies highlight coping resources that can mitigate the fear of deportation. This quantitative study, through logistic regression and conservation of resource theory, explored how resilience and social support may influence fear of deportation among 130 rural Latina immigrant mothers in a Midwestern state. Findings revealed that resilience, receiving emotional support from family members, and earned income were associated with lower fear of deportation among Latina mothers in the study. Additionally, other types of social support, such as providing instrumental support to people outside of their household and receiving emotional support from friends, were associated with higher levels of fear of deportation among the mothers.

International Migration, Volume 63, Issue 5, Sep 2025