Undocumented immigrants include individuals who have moved from their homelands to other countries as a destination without legal proof of identity. The process of settling legally in a foreign country entails a justification procedure that ensures local authorities identify an immigrant’s origin and destination. Many people seek economic asylum in developed nations due to the lack of sufficient jobs in local organizations (Forenza et al., 2017). Importantly, this analysis elaborates on vital sociological concepts and theories which describe refugees’ plight during immigration. Essentially, undocumented immigrants encounter more severe social, political, and economic hardships than those refugees with legal identity status in a foreign nation.
Public leadership is a contentious issue in many countries, as it can result in political conflicts. Democratic processes including elections and referenda are critical in determining the allocation and distribution of resources (Quakernack, 2018). Political oppression in many nations ends with undocumented immigration to nearby countries. For instance, many Ethiopians from the northern region have fled to neighboring nations following military action from the federal government in Addis Ababa against Tigray’s self-autonomous area (Quakernack, 2018). Military assaults have caused many undocumented immigrants to move to Sudan. Indeed, oppressive leadership can cause undocumented immigration.
Additionally, people are considered social beings as they live in units called families. Both parents must raise a child together for positive and beneficial outcomes in the latter’s future. Consequently, family separation keeps children away from their parents (Villegas, 2019). This phenomenon is expected in the southern border of the U.S., where undocumented immigrants and parents are separated from their children before deportation. Actions that result in family separations are detrimental to the normal growth of a child.
Moreover, the marginalization of individuals from a specific category of the population is common in many modern nations. Therefore, the term racial discrimination refers to the mistreatment and actions diminishing human integrity subjected to minority populations for their ethnicity, origin, or skin color (Forenza et al., 2017). Many African-Americans have encountered marginalization since the Transatlantic Slave Trade period. Racial discrimination results in undocumented immigrants when certain refugees are marginalized and denied legal residence in a foreign country for their skin color.
Human atrocities experienced by refugees include a lack of sufficient and healthy food. Malnutrition is rampant among individuals moving away from their homes without preparation. Starvation is typical among undocumented immigrants as they lack verified accessibility to receive aid from non-governmental organizations (Reed-Sandoval, 2020). For instance, refugees in religious centers seek food from well-wishers due to a lack of access to federal help from local authorities. Hunger is another fundamental sociological concept as it determines the health of undocumented immigrants.
Notably, the lack of access to basic needs such as food and shelter results in crime and insecurity. These sociological concepts are described by rising criminal cases involving undocumented immigrants in foreign nations. Extreme poverty levels among refugees compel individuals to engage in social crimes, including stealing from local communities (Platt, 2019). For instance, undocumented immigrants from the Middle East in Greece have been accused of engaging in criminal activities against the locals. These actions cause social mistrust between the refugees and hosting societies who are welcoming at first.
It is common for human beings to fall ill and recover successfully depending on the quality and timely access to medical treatment. Nonetheless, healthcare challenges are a sociological concept used to describe medical problems attributed to refugees (Reed-Sandoval, 2020). Undocumented immigrants, specifically, lack the medical insurance required for public healthcare. Medical insecurity results in deaths among refugees who do not have the documents for access to public services.
Both male and female refugees encounter instances of sexual exploitation in their journey away from conflict zones. Crimes such as rape and molestation result in explicit actions against unwilling partners (Platt, 2019). Consequently, sexual harassment is a common sociological concept that describes the challenges faced by female refugees abroad. Most importantly, undocumented immigrants encounter frequent instances of sexual exploitation in exchange for vital needs such as food, water, or shelter.
Most refugees flee from their countries to encounter social injustice from ruling authorities. Social justice entails the fight for basic needs from governments by refugees from minority communities. Undocumented immigrants experience difficulties in accessing the required aid for settling as residents in a foreign region (Reed-Sandoval, 2020). As a result, this section of refugees participates in mass protests fighting for social justice in accessing aid from relevant authorities.
For an individual, finding decent employment indicates vital progress in achieving their dreams. Economic subjugation refers to employment practices in which workers operate in unfavorable environments (Squire, 2017). For instance, it is common to find unprocessed immigrants being paid substandard wages for lacking verified documentation required for work permits. Economic subjugation restricts social growth and economic progress among the refugees who do not have the documents.
Moreover, refugees encounter hardships in acquiring decent places of shelter after abruptly leaving their homes. As a result, informal settlements are a sociological concept used to refer to temporary shelters used for sleeping by refugees. Essentially, undocumented immigrants live in informal settlements as they lack the required documentation for processing the shelter and food aid. The immigration process is critical as it ensures basic standards of housing for the refugees fleeing from political oppression.
In conclusion, varying sociological concepts describe the challenges encountered by undocumented immigrants in foreign nations. Refugees lacking legal identity in overseas countries face threats of deportation or family separation. Racial discrimination in public places, essentially, diminishes the confidence levels of undocumented immigrants who end up in informal settlements. Large numbers of unregistered asylum seekers are accused of direct involvement in criminal incidences. Finally, economic subjugation results in high poverty levels among refugees making them vulnerable to additional atrocities including sexual harassment.
References
Forenza, B., Rogers, B., & Lardier, D. T. (2017). What facilitates and supports political activism by, and for, undocumented students? The Urban Review, 49(4), 648−667.
Platt, T. (2019). Beyond these walls: Rethinking crime and punishment in the United States. St. Martin’s Press.
Quakernack, S. (2018). Political protest and undocumented immigrant youth :(Re-) framing testimonio. Routledge.
Reed-Sandoval, A. (2020). Socially undocumented: Identity and immigration justice. Oxford University Press.
Squire, V. (2017). Governing migration through death in Europe and the US: Identification, burial and the crisis of modern humanism. European Journal of International Relations, 23(3), 513−532.
Villegas, P. E. (2019). “I made myself small like a cat and ran away”: Workplace sexual harassment, precarious immigration status and legal violence. Journal of Gender Studies, 28(6), 674−686.