Fear as a Group Emotion in Mixed-Status Immigrant Ecuadorian Community in Queens, New York.

This study examines fear as a group emotion within the Ecuadorian mixed-status immigrant community in Queens, New York, based on 30 ethnographic interviews conducted in 2022–2023. It identifies two key dimensions of fear: collective fear, which is socially transmitted and shapes group dynamics, and cumulative fear, encompassing the distinct but interconnected fears experienced by first-generation, 1.5-generation, and second-generation immigrants related to border crossing, detention, deportation, legal uncertainty, and family separation. The research highlights how fear both marginalizes undocumented immigrants and simultaneously fosters social solidarity and mutual support within the community. It critiques the limited scope of U.S. President Joe Biden's 2024 executive order on immigration, arguing that broader legalization policies, including unconditional adjustment of status for non-citizen family members and permanent protections for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, are necessary to alleviate pervasive fear and promote immigrant well-being.