Carr-Lemke, Tara D.. "It's an odyssey:" centering the experiences of Mexican and Central American immigrant entrepreneurs in an examination of county-level sanctuary. Retrieved from https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/t3-21bb-7h24
DescriptionUsing a mixed methods comparative case study approach, my research explores the impacts of county-level sanctuary policies on the entrepreneurial activities of Mexican and Central American immigrants in the U.S. I find that although immigrant entrepreneurs and the organizations that support them generally value sanctuary, these policies do not influence business registration choices directly by increasing trust in local government. Instead, the research highlights the multi-scalar environment in which immigrant entrepreneurs operate and are embedded. The research affirms that federal immigration policy is a key factor shaping the entrepreneurial landscape for immigrants at the county level and mediating experiences of sanctuary. I also discuss immigrant entrepreneurs’ recommendations for the local business ecosystem including access to driver’s licenses, multilingual resources, and culturally-responsive lending, suggesting that these “opportunity entrepreneurs” offer key insights relevant to local policymaking and practices.