Undocumented Again? DACA Rescission, Emotions, and Incorporation Outcomes among Young Adults.

This article examines how the 2016 U.S. presidential election and the 2017 rescission of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program affected the emotional well-being and societal incorporation of undocumented young adults. Using in-depth interviews with 51 DACA recipients in Florida, the study explores emotions of anticipatory loss—grief and anxiety about potential loss of rights—and ontological insecurity, or the erosion of trust in the stability of one’s social environment. These emotional responses influenced participants’ educational attainment, labor market participation, feelings of belonging, and civic engagement, leading some to accelerate goals while others experienced stalled or reversed incorporation trajectories. The research highlights how shifting immigration policies create a precarious context that shapes undocumented young adults’ decision-making and integration experiences.