Detentions and deportations in Georgia: implications for Latina immigrant women, their families, & communities

The purpose of this study was to describe and interpret the lived experiences of Latina immigrants in the aftermath of the detention and deportation of a loved one in a rural location in Georgia. This dissertation followed a qualitative heuristic methodology to analyze the essence of the phenomenon of deportation and its complex effects in the lives of Latina women, their families, and communities. Three main conceptual frameworks were employed to guide this heuristic process: borderland feminism, conflict theory, and risk and resilience theory. Among the findings derived from this study, collected data show that Latina women interpret their experiences with detentions and deportations as an ongoing source of violence and increased fear and trauma. Nonetheless, participants also identified the deportation crisis as a source of empowerment, resilience, resistance, and a source of knowledge about Immigration and Customs Enforcements detention policies. Women are not only sharing this knowledge with other families, but they are becoming leaders and activists in their communities, helping other women to empower themselves by learning about community resources to address the ongoing crisis and fight their own potential deportation.