Immigration-Related Discrimination and Mental Health among Latino Undocumented Students and U.S. Citizen Students with Undocumented Parents: A Mixed-Methods Investigation.

This article investigates the relationship between perceived immigration-related discrimination and mental health outcomes among Latino undergraduate students who are either undocumented or U.S. citizens with undocumented parents within the University of California (UC) system. Using quantitative survey data (N = 1,131) and qualitative interviews (n = 63), the study finds that immigration-related discrimination is associated with increased depression and anxiety for both groups, with no significant difference in this relationship by immigration status. Qualitative findings reveal that discrimination is experienced not only individually but also vicariously through family and community members, highlighting how racist-nativist attitudes conflate race-ethnicity and immigration status and contribute to shared mental health impacts. The study emphasizes the importance of mixed-methods approaches to capture the multifaceted nature of immigration-related discrimination and suggests that mental health interventions consider both direct and indirect discrimination experiences within families and communities.