Dreams and Nightmares: Immigration Policy, Youth, and Families

Lisa M. Martinez of the University of Denver reviews Dreams and Nightmares, by Marjorie S. Zatz and Nancy Rodriguez. Authors Zats and Rodriguez look at the challenges and dilemmas of immigration policy and practice in the absence of comprehensive immigration reform. The experiences of children and youth provide a prism through which the interwoven dynamics and consequences of immigration policy become apparent. Using a socio-legal perspective, Zats and Rodriguez examine the mechanisms by which immigration policies and practices mitigate or exacerbate harm to vulnerable youth. Paying particular attention to prosecutorial discretion to assess its potential and limitations for resolving issues involving parental detention and deportation, unaccompanied minors, and Dreamers who came to the United States as young children. The authors demonstrate how these policies and practices offer a means of prioritizing immigration enforcement in ways that alleviate harm to children, and why they remain controversial and vulnerable to political challenges.

Read the book review at https://doi.org/10.1111/imre.12332