Living in the Shadows: Plight of the Undocumented

The word "immigration" has become a household buzzword. The welcome sign on the Statue of Liberty that reads, "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free," however, is fading and has been replaced by many complicated conditions. What to do with the very large number of undocumented immigrants living in the United States and arriving at the United States every day commands considerable attention and has been the subject of breaking stories in the news. Working in the field of immigration demands an awareness of and sensitivity to diversity and cultural competence. Despite a "hot" sociopolitical climate when it comes to undocumented aliens and what to do with them, there are many ethical tenets that psychologists must be familiar with, among them rendering competent multicultural services. This article offers an overview of immigration law, the challenges of performing culturally competent assessments and consequences of failing to do so, and the plight of a particularly vulnerable group: unaccompanied children. Vignettes offer a personal look into the proceedings of 7 undocumented individuals in 4 major areas: asylum, hardship, U-Visa, and VAWA.