Antiracist activism for immigrant rights and healthy coping: Initial evidence for a community‐based framework.

Racist and xenophobic policies in the United States (e.g., family separations and lack of access to protected immigration statuses for undocumented immigrants) have historically excluded immigrants of color from accessing full civil rights, thus contributing to widening racial inequities in the US. Racism and xenophobia intersected with other systems of oppression during the COVID‐19 pandemic, exposing immigrants of color to detrimental health effects. Research shows that activism helps immigrants of color cope with systemic stressors and protect their psychological well‐being. In this manuscript, we introduce the antiracist activism for immigrant rights (AAIR) framework to clarify how activism in response to systemic stress may promote healthy coping. This framework was developed together by scholars and immigration activists in the US Critical and liberatory theory and research on empowerment and healing also informed AAIR. Using structural equation modeling, we tested the framework in a community sample of 204 immigrants of color. Results support the model, depicting antiracist immigration activism as a latent construct manifested as a combination of engagement in racial justice, immigrant rights, and electoral activism. Further, results support the link between antiracist immigration activism and healthy coping in response to stress from immigration and health. We provide recommendations for behavioral health professionals to promote antiracist immigration activism and healthy coping among immigrant communities. Highlights: We introduce a framework for antiracist activism for immigrant rights (AAIR) that was developed in collaboration with immigration activists. Results supported that (a) AAIR is composed of behavioral engagement in racial justice activism, immigration activism, and electoral activism; (b) Greater health stress is linked to higher AAIR, and (c) Greater AAIR is linked to healthier coping (e.g., active coping, positive reframing, and planning). The AAIR framework may be used by behavioral health providers to guide community‐based interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]