The Promised Land? The Lives and Voices of Hispanic Immigrants in the New South (PDF)

Within the United States immigrants of different national origins have historically been clustered in very specific cities and states. In recent years, Latino immigrants have been fanning out to new regions of the country such as the Southeast and the Midwest. There has been little academic study that focuses on the voices and experiences of these new immigrants themselves. Through analysis of in-depth interviews with 73 Hispanic immigrants in Central Virginia, this book offers a rare in-depth look at the views and circumstances of immigrants in a new receiving area. It provides an examination of the new migration trend including an analysis of immigrants' living and working conditions, their family life, and their plans for the future. From the perspective of low-income Latino immigrants, Central Virginia appears to be something of a "Promised Land," particularly in comparison with many traditional Hispanic immigrant receiving areas in the U.S. However, despite the positive aspects of living in Virginia, Latino immigrants, particularly those who are undocumented, remain in an extremely vulnerable position with respect to the larger communities in which they reside. I argue that important policy changes are needed to benefit and protect both the new arrivals and their wider communities.