Crossroads: The Psychology of Immigration in the New Century

Protective factors: Conditions in families and
communities that, when present, increase the health and
well-being of children and families. These attributes serve as
buffers, helping parents find resources, supports, or coping
strategies that allow them to parent effectively, even under
stress (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
2011).
Race: See APA Guidelines on Multicultural Education, Training,
Research, Practice, and Organizational Change for Psychologists
(APA, 2002).
Racial profiling: Authority figures use race or ethnicity
as a basis for deciding whether or not to enforce laws or
regulations.
Racism: The belief that some races are inherently superior
(physically, intellectually, or culturally) to others and
therefore have a right to dominate them.
Reactive identification: Immigrants or foreign-born
individuals who embrace their cultural identity (from
country of origin) while rejecting the new culture, after
having been rejected by it.
Refugee: A person outside of his or her habitual residence
who has a well-founded fear of persecution because of race,
religion, nationality, or membership in a particular social
group or political opinion and who is unable or unwilling
to avail himself/herself of the protection of that country or
return there for fear of protection (APA, 2010c).
Refugee status: A legal status granted by the United States
to refugee adults and children admitted for permanent
resettlement. These individuals receive social, Englishlanguage,
and job-placement services during the initial
4–8 months in the country through a system of voluntary
agencies and with funding from the Office for Refugee
Resettlement, U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services.
Second generation: Born in the United States of foreignborn
parent(s). Currently, all second-generation immigrant
adults and children are citizens as mandated by the 14th
Amendment (1868).
Selective assimilation: Assimilation to a new country in
which foreign-born individuals maintain their native culture
in strong ethnic enclaves but successfully participate in the
new culture as well, particularly economically.
Social dominance orientation: A measurable personality
trait that indicates the amount of preference an individual
has for hierarchy in any society.
Social justice perspective: Psychological treatment that is
rooted in the belief that all people have a right to equitable
treatment and a fair allocation of societal resources including
decision making. To this end, social justice addresses issues
of oppression, privilege, and social inequities. Psychologists
committed to such a perspective direct efforts toward
making society a better place for all by challenging systemic
inequalities.
Third-generation: U.S. citizen of immigrant
grandparent(s).
Somatization disorder: A psychiatric diagnosis given
to patients who present physical symptoms that have no
underlying physical cause.
Undocumented: Individuals without legal authorization
who reside in the country. These individuals are not U.S.
citizens, do not hold current visas, and have not been
permitted admission under a specific set of rules for longer
term residence and work permits (Passel & Cohn, 2009)
(interchangeable term is undocumented; legal but pejorative
term is illegal).
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
H1-b program: Used by U.S. businesses to employ foreign
workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or
technical expertise in specialized fields, such as scientists,
engineers, or computer programmers; capped annually at
low numbers by country.
U-VISA in the Violence Against Women Act II
(VAWA II): The VAWA II created a new type of
nonimmigrant visa known as the U-VISA. To be eligible for
this “U” visa, the applicant must have suffered “substantial
physical or mental abuse” because of a variety of crimes,
including domestic abuse and involuntary servitude. The
applicant must have information relating to this crime that
would be of assistance to law enforcement in investigating
or prosecuting it. There is an annual limit of 10,000 U visas.
U visa holders are work authorized and able to apply for
adjustment of status after 3 years.
One of the eligibility requirements is that a self-petitioner
must demonstrate he/she is a person of good moral character.
A VAWA-based self-petition will be denied or revoked if the
record contains evidence to establish that the self-petitioner
84 Report of the APA Presidential Task Force on Immigration