Date of Award

12-2019

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Executive Leadership

First Supervisor

Shelley Jallow

Second Supervisor

Marguerita Circello

Abstract

The topic of undocumented immigrants living in the United States stimulates consistent national and local debate. In 2012 President Barack Obama signed an executive order creating the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy which provided undocumented immigrants work authorization and reprieve from deportation. In 2017, newly elected President Donald J. Trump announced the removal of the DACA policy. Researchers have focused on the impact of the removal of the DACA policy on undocumented Latino/a immigrants, but limited to no research has focused on the impact for Black immigrants, specifically those identifying as Jamaican. The purpose of this study was to inquire what coping strategies Jamaican DACA recipients are using as they transition with the 2017 DACA policy change. The study employed qualitative methodology, in particular, a narrative inquiry approach. The study found that since the DACA policy change announcement, participants are transitioning from feeling fortunate to experiencing fear of deportation. Participants also indicated without the benefit of the DACA policy, they lack sense of control in their lives. The study also showed participants have a strong support network to help them cope with the DACA policy change, but participants use religion as their primary coping strategy. The participants suggested the best coping strategy for their peers is to find a trusted individual to share their story. The lived experiences of undocumented Jamaican immigrants was similar to the research studies focused that on Latino/a undocumented immigrants.

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