Organizational Impacts of Restrictive Immigration Policy on Rural Safety Net Organizations

Safety net organizations in rural regions face structural barriers to providing services. Organizations that serve rural Latino communities may face additional barriers related to restrictive immigration policies and anti-immigrant climates. This study examines the impacts of restrictive immigration policies on safety net organizations that provide critical services to Latinos in rural areas to elucidate the mechanisms by which immigration policies influence Latino health. We conducted a qualitative analysis of 20 in-depth interviews with safety net organizations providing legal, nutritional, healthcare, labor, educational, and advocacy services to Latinos in rural California. Rural Latino-serving safety net organizations face immigration-related funding restrictions and anti-immigrant climates. Under restrictive immigration policies, rural safety net organizations are forced to extend beyond their organizational missions to circumvent immigration-related funding restrictions and address anti-immigrant climates to deliver their services. Staff working in these organizations are at the frontlines of anti-immigrant climates and experienced an emotional toll from their work. States should address anti-immigrant climates and increase funding to support organizations who serve Latinos in rural regions. To ensure that rural safety net organizations meet their mission, immigration-related eligibility requirements from safety net services should be removed. In addition, funders should allocate resources towards mental health services to address the impacts of anti-immigrant climates on staff who serve in rural Latino communities.