Helen B. Marrow

Explores, theoretically and empirically, through both smaller qualitative and larger national quantitative data sources, the implications of the Affordable Care Act for the health care of immigrant, ethno-racial minority, and low-income individuals during its early implementation (2010-2016). Provides relevant background on the Affordable Care Act, its political challenges to its implementation, and stratification by documentation status, income, and place of residence, plus overviews of the remaining articles in the volume.

Examines how Mexican and South Asian Indian immigrants' perceptions of being welcomed by U.S. born whites and blacks temper the relationship between the former's ascriptive characteristics—namely language and race and skin tone—and their identification as American. Shows how these linkages have important downstream consequences, with stronger perceptions of being welcomed increasing Indian immigrants' likelihood of naturalization and decreasing Mexican immigrants' desire to return to Mexico.

Overviews existing research on children of immigrants in new U.S. destinations, highlighting early evidence for optimism but increasing cause for concern since 2005-06. Argues that lack of legal status and restrictive turns in legal-political contexts of reception are the two key factors likely to dampen key segments of the second generation's prospects for successful incorporation and upward economic mobility in the future, as both become more heavily dependent on and stratified by legal status.

Examines how intergroup contact experiences—including both their frequency and their qualities (friendly, discriminatory)—predict indicators of welcoming among U.S.-born whites and blacks and Mexican and South Asian immigrant groups. Shows that greater contact frequency predicts greater tendencies to welcome, and to feel welcomed by, each of the other groups— effects that persist even when demographic characteristics, perceived discrimination, and exposure are included as predictors in models.

Examines implications of the U.S. South's sharp negative turn in "context of reception" toward immigrants since 2005-06 for the state of black-Hispanic relations and theories of the southern color line(s). Argues there is emerging evidence of black-Hispanic coalition-building primarily at elite levels and in the formal institutional realms of southern politics and civil society, and less so in nonelite levels of workplaces, neighborhoods, and public spaces.

Examines the hypothesis that immigrants' perceptions of discrimination vary across U.S. localities, as threatened responses by native-born residents may increase perceived discrimination among neighboring immigrants. Considers the alternative hypothesis that barriers to the expression and detection of discrimination de-couple native-born attitudes from immigrants' perceptions about their treatment. 

Explores how the rural context impacts the American immigrant experience, how rapid Hispanic immigration influences southern race relations, and how institutions like schools and law enforcement agencies deal with unauthorized residents. It presents a cautiously optimistic view of Hispanic newcomers’ opportunities for upward mobility in the rural South, while underscoring the threat of increasing anti-immigrant sentiment and restrictive policymaking.

Presents a comprehensive, interdisciplinary, and authoritative account of the most recent post-1965 surge of immigrants to the United States. Includes thematic essays that address such topics as immigration law and policy, refugees, unauthorized migrants, racial and ethnic identity, religion, and education, followed by comprehensive articles on immigration from the 31 most significant nations or regions of origin.