Kelsey E . Gonzalez

Research finds willingness to identify on panethnic terms is increasing among people of Latin American descent in the United States, as is the assertion of Latino-Hispanic panethnicity as a primary identity. The 2013 National Survey of Latinos found that one-fifth of respondents identified most often as “Hispanic/Latino” rather than with a “Hispanic origin term” or as “American.” Drawing on these data, we examine the sociodemographic factors associated with primary panethnic identification (PPI). We find that Democratic Party affiliation and Mexican heritage increase the overall likelihood of PPI. Having less than a high school education, identifying racially as “Hispanic/Latino” or “other race,” Spanish fluency, being a first-generation immigrant, and non-citizenship increase the likelihood of PPI over “American.” These results suggest Latino-Hispanic panethnicity may represent a reactive identity associated with politicization, marginalization, and racialization. Many Latino-Hispanics in the United States are opting for a racialized primary panethnic identity over an “American” identity.

The routine human rights abuses and due process violations of unaccompanied alien children (UAC) by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have contributed to a mounting humanitarian and legal crisis along the US-Mexico border. In the United States, the treatment of UAC is governed by laws, policies, and standards drawn from the Flores Settlement, the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA), and CBP procedures and directives, which are intended to ensure UAC's protection, well-being, and ability to pursue relief from removal, such as asylum. As nongovernmental organizations and human rights groups have documented, however, CBP has repeatedly violated these legal standards and policies, and subjected UAC to abuses and rights violations. This article draws from surveys of 97 recently deported Mexican UAC, which examine their experiences with US imigration authorities. The study finds that Mexican UAC are detained in subpar conditions, are routinely not screened for fear of return to their home countries or for human trafficking, and are not sufficiently informed about the deportation process. The article recommends that CBP should take immediate steps to improve the treatment of UAC, that CBP and other entities responsible for the care of UAC be monitored to ensure their compliance with US law and policy, and that Mexican UAC be afforded the same procedures and protection under the TVPRA as UAC from noncontiguous states.