Florida Immigration Enforcement Experiences Project

The Florida Immigration Enforcement Experiences Project is a qualitative research study conducted by researchers at the Im/migrant Well-Being Research Center (IWRC) at the University of South Florida. Supported by a grant from the Sociological Initiatives Foundation, this study builds on the Center’s Florida Immigration Policies Project by conducting in-depth interviews to understand how recent changes in state and federal immigration enforcement are shaping the daily lives of immigrants and their families.

Study Goals

Primary Objective

To document how intensified state and federal immigration enforcement—stemming from Florida’s SB 1718 and recent presidential executive orders—affects the well-being of immigrants and their U.S.-born children across multiple areas of daily life. The following themes emerged from our data:

• Work and participation in the economy
• Housing and US settlement
• Fear of family separation and social isolation
• Relations with law enforcement
• Detention and its lingering effects
• Health and healthcare access
• Children’s education and mental well-being
• Resilience, resistance, and community bonds

Between May and July 2025, the research team conducted 53 semi-structured interviews with immigrants and U.S.-born adult children of immigrants. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 65 and represented regions including Africa, the Caribbean, South America, Central America, and North America. Their legal statuses also varied, including undocumented immigrants, people with temporary protections (e.g. Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)), Lawful Permanent Residents, and U.S. citizens.

Key Findings from the Interviews

• Work has become more precarious, with many immigrants abandoning seasonal jobs or shifting into informal, low-wage work closer to home.
• Housing and settlement choices are shaped by enforcement, leading families to double up, reduce mobility, or consider leaving Florida altogether.
• Fear and surveillance permeate daily life, affecting how people drive, worship, and socialize and often resulting in social isolation.
• Trust in law enforcement has eroded, with many immigrants avoiding police even in emergencies due to fear of exposure to immigration authorities.
• Detention experiences carry long-lasting harm, including reports of abuse, trauma, and ongoing psychological distress after release, even among U.S. citizens.
• Health and healthcare use are declining, as immigrants and their U.S.-citizen relatives avoid hospitals out of fear that seeking care could attract enforcement.
• Children and youth are taking on adult responsibilities, including driving parents, translating, and monitoring police presence, often at the expense of their education and emotional well-being.
• Faith communities, families, and mutual aid groups remain essential sources of resilience and support.

Deliverables

The full qualitative report is available in:

• English
• Spanish

A One-Pager summarizing key findings is available in:

• English
• Spanish
• French
• Vietnamese
• Dutch
• Arabic
• Creole

A Narrative Toolkit, desinged for advocates, policymakers, educators, journalists, and service providers, is available in:

• English
• Spanish