'There will be no law, or people to protect us': Irregular Southeast Asian seasonal workers in Taiwan before and during the pandemic

This paper investigates the everyday lived realities of Southeast Asian migrant workers who left the formal sector of the labour market and entered the informal agricultural sector before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan. Drawing on observations of migrants' daily lives and farm work and 19 in-depth interviews, it delves into migrants' subjective experiences of vulnerability, paternalism, exploitation, and control at work due to a lack of legal protection and the illegality of their employment. Although the literature has identified a link between 'running away' from formal employment and seeking freedom, this research suggests a continuum between experiences of work in the formal and informal economic sectors. The paper sheds new light on mobility, work, illegality, and informality and how these have constantly shaped 'runaway' workers' subjective experiences of freedom and unfreedom during the pandemic.

Exploring Prenatal Care Quality and Access During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Pregnant Immigrants in Philadelphia Through the Lens of Community-Based Organizations.

Background: The peak of the COVID-19 pandemic led to decreased maternal and child health care engagement, especially among marginalized populations. Existing disparities in prenatal care access and quality faced by pregnant immigrant people are likely to be amplified by the pandemic. Materials and Methods: We conducted a study with direct service providers (DSPs) at community-based organizations (CBOs) serving pregnant immigrant families in the Philadelphia region. Semistructured interviews addressed barriers and facilitators to prenatal health care access and engagement among immigrant families both before and then after the onset of the pandemic in March 2020. Additional questions elicited context about the demographics of service populations, organizational connectedness to health care providers, and pandemic-related operational changes. Results: Between June and November 2021, 10 interviews were conducted in English and Spanish with DSPs at 5 CBOs. Primary themes included diminished access and quality of care received due to decreased language accessibility, increased restrictions around support persons, shifts to telemedicine, and changes to appointment scheduling. Additional themes included heightened hesitancy engaging with services due to documentation status, confusion around legal rights, financial strain, and health insurance status. Interviewees provided suggestions for improving service access during and postpandemic for immigrant pregnant people, including implementation of culturally responsive group prenatal care, institutional policies to improve understanding of legal rights, and increased financial supports. Conclusions: Understanding emergent and exacerbated barriers to prenatal care access and quality during the COVID-19 pandemic provides context for how to improve health equity for immigrant pregnant people through public health and health care policies as the pandemic continues, and once it has subsided.

Undocumented Migrants and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Similar and Dissimilar COVID-19 Stories Comparing Finland and Iran

Undocumented migrants are among the most imperiled groups in the contemporary world as they live in a world divided into states. These migrants do not have a legal right to remain in the countries in which they currently reside. This chapter studies how undocumented migrants in Finland and Iran were affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, attention was paid to how they were assisted by public authorities and NGOs and to which agencies they showed themselves. Major challenges initially for undocumented migrants were about from where and how they could receive accurate information about the virus, how to prevent exposure to the virus, and what to do if one suspected he or she had the virus. Long-term issues were how to cope with everyday restrictions on mobility and access to public spaces and NGOs, how to overcome challenges in maintaining employment, and how to become vaccinated against the virus. Undocumented migrants in Finland and Iran faced similar and different challenges during the pandemic. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.

No Calm Before the Storm: Low-Income Latina Immigrant and Citizen Mothers Before and After COVID-19

Government pandemic provisions occurred alongside a safety net that excludes or dissuades Latina mothers from participation. These families are also disproportionately exposed to punitive immigration policies and rhetoric that may shape their views on such provisions and, in turn, influence their post-pandemic well-being. To understand these complexities, we draw on interviews before and after COVID-19 with thirty-eight Latina immigrant and citizen mothers, most of whom are undocumented (N = 29). We find that pre-pandemic distrust of public institutions and the safety net was common, increased after COVID-19, and negatively affected undocumented respondents' post-pandemic circumstances relative to that of citizen mothers. Findings suggest that safety net expansion on its own will not offset pandemic effects for these families without addressing exclusion from public benefits and alienation from and distrust of government.

Online Content About Prenatal Tdap Vaccination Using Reddit

Purpose of Study The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported in 2017 that only 50.4% of pregnant women received the Tdap vaccination to protect their newborns from pertussis;21.7% were unaware they needed it and 18.3% were concerned about adverse effects on their baby. This study investigated common concerns women expressed online regarding Tdap in pregnancy and assessed accuracy of online content using Reddit, a popular discussion website. Methods Used We used Reddit's built-in search engine to find user-generated posts by searching key words related to Tdap vaccination in pregnancy. Using the same keywords, we also searched commonly appearing subreddits, which are online communities within Reddit dedicated to topics. Working backwards from February 29, 2020 (to avoid COVID issues), we evaluated posts and comments that met the following inclusion criteria: posts from U.S. users with at least 10 comments;posts and comments focused on Tdap in pregnancy. Comments from automated bots or users outside the U.S. were excluded. Using the idea of saturation, Reddit posts with over 50 comments were analyzed until the 50th comment or until 4 subthemes were found. The CDC guidelines were used to judge accuracy. Summary of Results 100 Reddit posts with 2872 comments between February 2020 to October 2018 were included in the study. 74 Reddit posts sought advice on Tdap vaccination, safety/side effects, and who need Tdap. Out of the 2872 comments, 115 contained inaccurate content;96% of those related to the recommended frequency of the pertussis vaccination. Common themes within the comments included: cocooning (a strategy to protect infants by vaccinating close contacts);why and when pregnant women should get Tdap;and side effects. The most prevalent subtheme pertained to visitation rules for those who declined Tdap. Few comments reflected more extreme opinions, such as 'only illegal immigrants have pertussis.' Conclusions Although most pregnant women on Reddit support the recommendation for Tdap in pregnancy, some users report inconsistent information received from their clinicians. Confusion still remains about who should receive Tdap. There is potential for improved patient education provided by clinicians to ensure their pregnant patients have accurate and complete information about Tdap.

Health and well-being of refugees, asylum seekers, undocumented migrants, and internally displaced persons under COVID-19: a scoping review.

Objectives: The objective of this scoping review was to identify what is known about the impact of COVID-19 on the physical and mental well-being of refugees, asylum seekers, undocumented migrants, and internally displaced persons. The aim was also to identify barriers influencing access to treatment or prevention. Methods: The search was conducted using PubMed/Medline, CINAHL, Scopus, and ScienceDirect. A mixed methods appraisal tool was used to assess methodological rigor. The study findings were synthesized using a thematic analysis approach. Results and Discussion: This review comprised 24 studies and were conducted utilizing a mixed method approach incorporating both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Two major themes were identified related to the impact of COVID-19 on the health and wellbeing of refugees, asylum seekers, undocumented migrants, and internally displaced persons and the key barriers influencing access to treatment or prevention of COVID-19. They often have barriers to accessing healthcare due to their legal status, language barriers, and limited resources. The pandemic has further strained already limited health resources, making it even more challenging for these populations to receive healthcare. This review reveals that refugees and asylum seekers in receiving facilities face a higher risk of COVID-19 infection than the general population due to their less favorable living conditions. The various health impacts stem from a lack of access to accurate information about the pandemic, misinformation, and the exacerbation of pre-existing mental health issues caused by heightened stress, anxiety, and uncertainty, fear of deportation among undocumented migrants, and overcrowding camps and detention facilities that increase exposure risk. Social distancing measures are difficult to implement in these settings, and inadequate sanitation, hygiene, and a lack of personal protective equipment further compound the problem. Moreover, the pandemic has had significant economic consequences for these populations. Many of them rely on informal or precarious employment, which has been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Job losses and reduced working hours, and limited access to social protection can lead to increased poverty, and food insecurity. Children faced specific challenges, such as disruptions to education, additionally, interruptions in support services for pregnant women. Some pregnant women have avoided seeking maternity care due to fears of contracting COVID-19, resulting in increased home births and delays in accessing healthcare services. Factors that play a role in vaccination reluctance include uncertainty of undocumented migrants' inclusion in vaccination programs, furthermore, a growing vaccine hesitancy in the population; skepticism about the safety of vaccines, inadequate knowledge/education, a variety of access barriers such as language barriers, and logistical challenges including remote locations, and inaccurate information. Conclusion: This review highlights that the physical health of refugees, asylum seekers, undocumented migrants, and internally displaced persons has been significantly impacted by various barriers to healthcare access during the pandemic. These barriers include legal and administrative challenges, such as a lack of documentation. Additionally, the shift to digital tools has introduced new obstacles, not only due to language barriers or limited technical knowledge but also because of structural barriers, such as the requirement of a bank ID that is often inaccessible to these groups. Other factors contributing to limited healthcare access include financial constraints, language barriers, and discrimination. Additionally, limited access to accurate information about health services, prevention measures, and available resources may hinder them from seeking care or following public health guidelines. Misinformation and lack of trust in healthcare systems can also contribute to a reluctance to access care or vaccination programs. There is concerning evidence regarding vaccine hesitancy that needs to be addressed to reduce any future pandemic outbreak, in addition there is a need to explore the factors that play a role in vaccination reluctance among children in these populations.

COVID-19 Vaccination Program for Undocumented Migrants: Notes from the Field of a Regional Center of General Medicine and Public Health, Canton of Vaud, Switzerland.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted health inequities for vulnerable populations and the need for more equitable care and access to vaccination. This article described the implementation of a COVID-19 vaccination program for undocumented migrants in a regional academic center of general medicine and public health (Unisanté). The vaccination program's specific components included: triple coordination between the health authorities, the regional center and community partners, a walk-in and free service, no health insurance required, qualified nursing and administrative staff with previous experience with vulnerable populations, translated information materials and interpreters, a guarantee of confidentiality and a widespread communication campaign within the communities. In total, 2'351 undocumented migrants from 97 nationalities received at least one dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Spikevax) and 2242 were considered fully vaccinated. Although it was hard to assess its global effectiveness, the program vaccinated a significant number of undocumented adult migrants in the Canton of Vaud. The difficulties linked to the pandemic context, the heavy workload for healthcare staff and the limited resources were overcome by strong collaborations between the different actors involved throughout the program. Targeted public health policies, such as vaccination programs for undocumented migrants, are essential to guarantee equitable care, especially in pandemic times.

Financing of health services for undocumented immigrants in Iran: common challenges and potential solutions.

INTRODUCTION: Iran is host to one of the largest urban refugee populations worldwide, about two million of whom are undocumented immigrants (UIs). UIs are not eligible to enroll in the Iranian health insurance scheme and have to pay out-of-pocket to access most health services. This increases the likelihood that they will delay or defer seeking care, or incur substantial costs if they do seek care, resulting in worse health outcomes. This study aims to improve understanding of the financial barriers that UIs face in utilizing health services and provide policy options to ensure financial protection to enhance progress towards UHC in Iran. METHODS: This qualitative study was conducted in 2022. A triangulation approach, including interviews with key informants and comparing them with other informative sources to find out the complementary findings, was applied to increase data confirmability. Both purposive and snowball sampling approaches were used to select seventeen participants. The data analysis process was done based on the thematic content analysis approach. RESULTS: The findings were explained under two main themes: the financial challenges in accessing health services and the policy solutions to remove these financial barriers, with 12 subthemes. High out-of-pocket payments, high service prices for UIs, fragmented financial support, limited funding capacity, not freeing all PHC services, fear of deportation, and delayed referral are some of the barriers that UIs face in accessing health care. UIs can get insurance coverage by using innovative ways to get money, like peer financing and regional health insurance, and by using tools that make it easier, like monthly premiums without policies that cover the whole family. CONCLUSION: The formation of a health insurance program for UIs in the current Iranian health insurance mechanism can significantly reduce management costs and, at the same time, facilitate risk pooling. Strengthening the governance of health care financing for UIs in the form of network governance may accelerate the inclusion of UIs in the UHC agenda in Iran. Specifically, it is necessary to enhance the role of developed and rich regional and international countries in financing health services for UIs.

An exploratory study of healing circles as a strategy to facilitate resilience in an undocumented community

Within the United States, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted critical inequalities affecting undocumented communities and resulting in particularly heightened stress for members of these communities. In addition to the stress associated with COVID-19, immigrants in the United States were more than ever subjected to a hostile antiimmigrant climate under Trump's administration. Given this compounded stress, the impact of the pandemic on mental health is likely to be disproportionately experienced by undocumented immigrants. In response, a group of psychologists partnered with a leading immigrant rights advocacy organization and formed a reciprocal collaboration to support undocumented communities. A major focus of the collaboration is to foster learning, supporting members of the immigrant community to contribute to their own well-being and others in the community. Accordingly, the collaborative developed and delivered a web-based mental health education session to the immigrant community and to practitioners serving this population. The session presented the use of healing circles as a strength-based approach to building resilience and also sought feedback regarding specific features of healing circles that can enhance their effectiveness in managing distress. Survey data and qualitative findings from this study show that those who participated in the web-based program perceived the session as validating and informative. Findings also underscored the need for creating safe spaces for community members to be vulnerable about their lived experiences while promoting ownership of their narratives. We discuss practical implications pertaining to the development and facilitation of social support groups for immigrants led by nonspecialist community members trained for this role. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) Impact Statement We describe a reciprocal collaboration between psychologists and an immigrant-led advocacy organization for the purposes of supporting undocumented immigrants in tailoring culturally congruent therapeutic approaches for fostering resilience as they face multiple stressors due to interlocking crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and antiimmigrant policies. The collaboration led to the development and delivery of a web-based session that provided immigrant community members and practitioners with recommendations for facilitating healing circles as a strength-based and culturally responsive approach to fostering peer-led social support during stressful times. Findings highlight the need for creating such safe spaces for community members to be vulnerable about their lived experiences and feel validated. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) Abstract (Spanish) En los Estados Unidos (EE.UU.), la pandemia de COVID-19 puso en evidencia desigualdades criticas que afectan a las comunidades indocumentadas y que provocan un estres particularmente elevado entre sus miembros. Ademas del estres asociado con la COVID-19, los inmigrantes en EE.UU. se vieron sometidos mas que nunca a un clima hostil antiinmigracion bajo la administracion Trump. Dado este mayor estres, es probable que los inmigrantes indocumentados hayan sufrido de manera desproporcionada el impacto de la pandemia en la salud mental. En respuesta, un grupo de psicologos se asocio con una organizacion importante de defensa de los derechos de los inmigrantes y acordaron una colaboracion reciproca para apoyar a las comunidades indocumentadas. Uno de los principales objetivos de la colaboracion es promover el aprendizaje, apoyando a los miembros de la comunidad inmigrante para que incidan en su propio bienestar y en el de los demas miembros de la comunidad. En consecuencia, gracias a esta colaboracion, se desarrollo una sesion educativa sobre salud mental basada en Internet, que se impartio a la comunidad inmigrante y a los profesionales que atienden a esta poblacion. En la sesion se presento el uso de los circulos de sanacion como un enfoque basado en las fortalezas para fomentar la resiliencia. Asimismo, se recabo retroalimentacion sobre las caracteristicas especificas de los circulos de sanacion que pueden ser mas eficaces en la gestion del estres. Los datos de la encuesta y los hallazgos cualitativos de este estudio muestran que quienes participaron en el programa basado en Internet percibieron la sesion como informativa y promotora de sentimientos de valor. Los resultados tambien subrayaron la necesidad de crear espacios seguros para que los miembros de la comunidad se muestren vulnerables acerca de sus experiencias, al tiempo que se promueve la apropiacion de sus narrativas. Analizamos las implicaciones practicas relativas al desarrollo y la facilitacion de grupos de apoyo social para inmigrantes dirigidos por miembros de la comunidad no especializados que han recibido una capacitacion para esta funcion. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Social inclusion and immigrant workers: Coming out of the shadows during COVID-19 pandemic

Immigrant groups are often adversely affected by the social exclusion process, which promotes a lack of opportunities, choice, and not being part of the democratic process that promotes social inclusion. In the USA, immigrants, particularly the undocumented, work at higher rates in essential critical infrastructure sectors than native-born citizens. COVID-19 has exposed the systemic undervaluing of work that is now clearly understood to be essential for societal survival. During the COVID-19 pandemic, immigrants are risking their health to keep Americans safe, healthy, food secured, and contributing to the US economic recovery. The need to promote social inclusion measures for immigrant essential workers is a global concern. This chapter addresses the COVID-19 pandemic, a relational conceptualization of social exclusion, essential workers, and the significance of undocumented immigrant contributions during the pandemic. It acknowledges the divestment of immigrant populations by the Trump administration, and the lack of responsiveness by the US Senate to the needs of undocumented immigrant essential workers. Future directions include a reconstruction of social inclusion measures through a call to action. A partnership among government, employers, and essential workers is necessary for the undocumented to come out of the shadows and become part of the social fabric through a pathway to citizenship. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Enacting resilience at multiple levels during the covid-19 pandemic: Exploring communication theory of resilience for u.S. Undocumented college students

During the COVID-19 pandemic, college students faced a number of stressors that threatened their health and well-being. Undocumented college students faced similar stressors and additional ones that were unique to their immigration status. Drawing from communication theory of resilience, we conducted 30 semi-structured interviews with Mexican-origin undocumented college students in California. Our findings extended past research on the communication theory of resilience by identifying triggers that motivated undocumented students to enact resilience at multiple levels. Undocumented students reported (a) individual, interpersonal, institutional, and policy-level constraints that constantly threatened their health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic;(b) how they enacted resilience at those multiple levels;and (c) how their undocumented status was a source of stress but also a source of empowerment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Barriers to health care services among US-based undocumented Latinx immigrants within the sociopolitical climate under the Trump administration: A comparative analysis between client experiences and provider perceptions

As President Biden's administration works towards a 'fair and humane' immigration overhaul, it becomes critical to examine the implications of immigration policies/laws under the Trump administration on the well-being of undocumented residents to inform equitable reformations. We investigate challenges faced by undocumented Latinx immigrants in accessing health care services in the sociopolitical climate under the Trump administration. This study, which follows a similar study among frontline service providers, presents key findings from 23 in-depth interviews with Latinx individuals. Understanding their experiences is necessary to advance access to health-promoting services and uphold the human right to health. Our study participants' narratives document multiple barriers to health care services, many notably exacerbated by increasingly restrictive immigration policies/laws and heightened punitive interior enforcement practices under the Trump administration. As the nation awaits equitable immigration reform, health care organizations should immediately incorporate, amplify, or alter programs/practices to facilitate access among their undocumented clients. Focused organizational changes have the potential to reduce unmet health needs, minimize financial burdens for families, and curtail potential public health threats, the latter a particularly imperative goal within the current COVID-19 pandemic. We also distill conclusions drawn from our interviews with clients and their convergence with and divergence from conclusions drawn from our related research with providers. While providers recognize the negative impact of sociopolitical factors on their clients' access to health care services, client experiences illuminate potential gaps in their understanding. Bridging understanding between providers and clients can improve access, utilization, and retention in health care services.Copyright © 2022 The Authors

COVID-19: Threat and vulnerability among Latina immigrants

As has been documented in public health data, infections and deaths from COVID-19 have been inequitably distributed in the United States, producing adverse health outcomes among vulnerable populations including Latina immigrants. Using a critical feminist theoretical perspective, this discussion examines the mechanisms informing these outcomes including lack of access to health insurance and health care and work in low-waged jobs with high potential exposure to the virus. In addition, we examine related risks to this population, including domestic violence during stay-at-home orders. We argue that social workers can join forces with immigrant-led organizations to support advocacy to reverse government policies that limit immigrants' access to health care as well as ensuring that Latina women workers earn adequate wages for essential jobs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

COVID-19-Related Emergency Department Visits Among Undocumented Patients in Los Angeles County

Undocumented immigrants may be vulnerable to poor COVID-19 outcomes, but also may be less likely to seek medical care. To our knowledge, there have not been any investigations of potential COVID-19 disparities by immigration status. We analyzed emergency department (ED) visit data from March 20, 2020 to September 30, 2020 among patients in a safety-net hospital in Los Angeles County (n=30,023). We compared the probability of COVID-19-related ED visits between undocumented immigrants and Medi-Cal patients. We also examined differences in these comparisons over time. Undocumented patients had higher odds of COVID-19-related ED visits than Medi-Cal patients (OR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.24–1.60) for all months in the study period except September. Even in the earliest days of the pandemic, undocumented patients were more likely than Medi-Cal patients to have a COVID-19-related ED visit. Additional analyses suggest this was likely because of higher COVID-19 exposure rather than differences in ED utilization.

Learning from the COVID-19 pandemic response to strengthen undocumented migrant-sensitive health systems: case studies from four countries.

Undocumented migrants are a vulnerable population group in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic due to increased risk of infection, severe morbidity, and mortality. In this Personal View, we analyze the COVID-19 pandemic responses, particularly vaccination campaigns, vis à vis undocumented migrants, and discuss lessons learned. Our empirical observations as clinicians and public health practitioners in Italy, Switzerland, France, and the United States are supplemented by a literature review, and presented through country case studies focusing on Governance, Service Delivery, and Information. We propose recommendations to capitalize on the COVID-19 pandemic response as an entry point to strengthen migrant-sensitive provisions into health system frameworks, by: providing specific guidance in health policies and plans; developing tailored implementation approaches with outreach and mobile services, with translated and socio-culturally adapted information, and engagement of migrant communities and third sector actors; and developing systematic monitoring & evaluation systems with disaggregated migrant data from National Health Service and third sector providers.

Undocumented immigrants suffering from inequality of vaccination access in Japan: measuring the institutional barriers and exploring the associated factors.

OBJECTIVES: Undocumented immigrants (UIs) have been reported to suffer from the unequal distribution of COVID-19 vaccination, but this inequality has never been quantified, and the associated factors have not been measured. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We interviewed 190 municipal offices throughout Japan about the access to COVID-19 vaccination for UIs and control group foreigners. Using logistic regression, we investigated the association between assured access and municipal characteristics. RESULTS: Out of the respondent municipalities, 57.5% answered that UIs can apply for a COVID-19 vaccination voucher. Additionally, 31.5% said they had received an inquiry about vaccines from UI individuals. Furthermore, only 23.2% of the municipalities responded that they had issued vouchers for UIs at least once. The control groups were reported to have been given more access to vouchers. Logistic regression showed that the foreign resident ratio, tertiary industry, and university graduation ratio were positively associated with vaccination access. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed for the first time that UIs are disproportionately marginalized compared with other visitors, implying that "illegality" plays an important role in the context of vaccination eligibility. The street-level vaccination desks of local governments may refuse to supply vaccines. Vaccine equity will be more readily achievable when vaccination access to all populations including UIs is ensured. Such access will also improve overall public health by increasing the vaccination rate.

"I thought I was going to die there:" Socio-political contexts and the plight of undocumented Latinx in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, certain U.S. population groups have suffered higher rates of infection and mortality than whites, including Latinx. Public health officials blamed these outcomes on overcrowded housing and work in essential industries prior to the vaccine's availability. We sought to illuminate the lived experience of these factors through a qualitative study of undocumented Latinx immigrant workers in the secondary economy (n â€‹= â€‹34). This study focuses on the intersectionality of social locations for undocumented Latinx immigrants living in a relatively affluent suburb and working in the construction and service sectors prior to the pandemic. Their narratives revealed how the pandemic created financial precarity through prolonged periods of unemployment and food insecurity. Workers described worry over unpaid bills, and potentially catastrophic episodes in which they treated severe COVID-19 with home remedies. Long spells of unemployment, food insecurity, inability to pay bills and lack of access to healthcare emerged because of socio-political contexts including the nature of low-wage labor and lack of a safety net.

Mental Health and COVID-19 Pandemic Stressors Among Latina/o/x College Students with Varying Self and Parental Immigration Status.

The COVID-19 pandemic has produced significant psychological distress for college students due to the sudden proliferation of stressors. We examine whether and how self and parental immigration status contributes to Latina/o/x college students' mental health and pandemic stressors during the initial months of the pandemic. We draw on quantitative and qualitative survey data collected in March-June 2020 with 1,600 Latina/o/x University of California undergraduate students from three self-identified groups: undocumented students, US citizens with at least one undocumented parent, and US citizens with lawfully present parents. Quantitative analyses reveal that the pandemic produced widespread negative mental health effects but the severity of these effects did not differ by self/parental immigration status. Our qualitative analyses identify common pandemic-related stressors across our three student groups (financial insecurity, COVID-19 virus concerns, academic strains, and social dynamics); however, undocumented students and US citizens with undocumented parents identify unique aspects of these stressors due to legal vulnerabilities. Self and parental undocumented status also compromises the ability to manage common pandemic stressors because of immigration status-related exclusion from necessary resources. Ultimately, we argue that the high-stress nature of the pandemic elevated mental distress across all student groups, but the structural exclusion of undocumented immigrants contributes to unique experiences of stress among Latina/o/x undocumented students and US citizen students with undocumented parents.

Algeria – France: Normalised Relations

Algeria - France: Normalised Relations France said on December 18th it had ended months of tensions over a visa dispute with Algeria, just days after Paris and Rabat made a similar announcement. France restored visa rates with Tunisia to pre-Covid levels in August, and on December 16th, French Foreign Minister B Catherine Colonna b said Paris had returned to "full consular cooperation" with Morocco. [Extracted from the article]

Undocumented migrants’ citizenship in pandemic times: the South Korean case

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the citizenship of both nationals and non-nationals. We define citizenship as a contested membership among all populations within the territory of a state, encompassing the status, rights, and performativity of the people. We look at changes in the citizenship of non-nationals, particularly the most vulnerable: undocumented migrants. Despite long-standing discrimination against undocumented migrants, the COVID-19 pandemic compelled the South Korean government to reconsider its policies on their citizenship rights. The government provided free tests and treatments, and free vaccinations to the undocumented migrants who had long been ignored in South Korea. It also suspended immigration crackdowns and deportations. While these COVID-19 preventive measures were intended to address community safety, they also affected the multifaceted nature of citizenship by making everybody within the territory both the subject and object of quarantine. Do these measures indicate an expansion of South Korean citizenship to include undocumented migrants? We discuss what implications the South Korean government’s pandemic-response policies may have for citizenship. With the increasing elasticity of citizenship boundaries in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, we claim that territorial aspects have been given greater emphasis in the politics of South Korean citizenship. © 2022 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.