Learning to Be Illegal

“Learning to Be Illegal: Undocumented Youth and Shifting Legal Contexts in the Transition to Adulthood,” published in the August 2011 issue of American Sociological Review by Roberto G. Gonzales, explores the narrowing of opportunities among undocumented Latino youth in Los Angeles as they transitioned from the protected status of childhood into adulthood. Gonzales explains how undocumented youth begin to face barriers in adolescence, as typical rites of passage, from getting a part-time job to taking driver’s education, are not accessible to them.

Gonzales shared his process in conducting the study, his plans for future research, and his thoughts on current U.S. immigration policy in a recent podcast about the article.

Click here to read the article.

Click here to listen to the podcast.