The Lived Experience of Brazilian Immigrants in Connecticut and Crimmigration Walter John Belsito Jr

University of Connecticut OpenCommons@UConn

Doctoral Dissertations University of Connecticut Graduate School

6-27-2016 The Lived Experience of Brazilian Immigrants in Connecticut and Crimmigration Walter John Belsito Jr. University of Connecticut - Storrs, [email protected]

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The Lived Experience of Brazilian Immigrants in Connecticut and Crimmigration

Walter John Belsito, PhD

University of Connecticut, 2016

ABSTRACT

Crimmigration, or the criminalization of immigration that intensified after the attacks of

September 11, 2001, has impacted the lives of many immigrants living in the United States.

After 9/11 there was an acceleration of the merger of immigration law and criminal law, and its enforcement, at the local, state, and federal levels. These restrictive laws have resulted in the increased incarceration, detainment, and mass deportation of immigrants throughout the United

States. This qualitative study focused on the lived experience of Brazilian immigrants living in

Connecticut.

A critical phenomenological design was used to understand how crimmigration and other factors such as the economy shapes the lived experiences of Brazilian immigrants. Twenty participants were interviewed twice (for a total of 40 interviews). Seven themes emerged from participants’ interviews centered on: immigration experiences (initial and subsequent), trabalho

(work), crimmigration, discrimination, emotions, transnational social networks, and racial/ethnic identity.

Brazilians are economic migrants coming to the United States in search of a better life.

Brazilians’ experiences with work in the United States are a central facet of their “lived experience.” Participants’ work experiences are molded by historical and political events

Walter J. Belsito—University of Connecticut, 2016 shaping the national debate on immigration.

This study also argues that crimmigration in the United States poses one of the most important human rights challenges today. Critical race theory posits that crimmigration is primarily directed at the growing Latino population of the United States. As agents of change committed to social justice on behalf of oppressed and vulnerable populations, social workers are in a unique position to advocate for immigrants affected by crimmigration, to fight for the human rights of immigrant families and their children torn apart by crimmigration, and to be at the forefront of the immigration debate in the United States.

Keywords: crimmigration, Brazilian immigrants, social work, human rights, critical phenomenology.

The Lived Experience of Brazilian Immigrants in Connecticut and Crimmigration

Walter John Belsito

B.S., Post University, 1987

M.S.W., University of Connecticut School of Social Work, 1995

A Dissertation

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Philosophy

at the

University of Connecticut

2016

Walter John Belsito

2016

iii

APPROVAL PAGE

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

The Lived Experience of Brazilian Immigrants in Connecticut and Crimmigration

Presented by

Walter John Belsito, B.S., M.S.W.

Major Advisor ______Scott Harding, PhD.

Associate Advisor ______Kathryn Libal, PhD

Associate Advisor ______David Androff, PhD

University of Connecticut

2016

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel —Socrates

There are many people I would like to thank who supported me on this exhilarating and rigorous journey from my first day as a doctoral student to the day of my dissertation defense. I would like to begin with my Major Advisor Dr. Scott Harding and Associate Advisor Dr.

Kathryn Libal. They provided me with continual guidance, support, and direction throughout this study. This work is a reflection of their foresight and dedication. Dr. Harding and Dr. Libal instilled in me a deep appreciation for qualitative research. I would also like to thank Associate

Advisor Dr. David Androff, who provided me with valuable insight and feedback during this labor of love. Drs. Harding, Libal, and Androff taught me the importance of keeping a human rights-based approach at the center of macro social work practice.

I would like to thank Dr. Alex Gitterman, former director, and all the professors in the doctoral program at the University of Connecticut School of Social Work, who molded and shaped me, which resulted in this effort to bring a voice to the voiceless. I would like to especially acknowledge Dr. Nina Heller, who has been a source of inspiration and encouragement; Dr. Megan Berthold, whose passion for human rights and culture helped deepen my understanding of these issues. I offer special thanks to Drs. Brenda Kurz, Cristina Wilson,

Waldo Klein, Lynn Healey, Lirio Negroni, and Nancy Humphreys. I would like to thank Kathy

Birnie, who behind the scenes, has always provided me with guidance, support, and the practical knowledge of getting through the administrative hurdles of the doctoral program. I would also like to acknowledge the late Dr. Al Alissi, who was my advisor and mentor when I obtained my

M.S.W. 21 years ago at this school. v

I would like to offer a deep heart-felt thanks for members of my cohort—Karen

D’Angelo and Jack Lu. Their love, encouragement, and support was invaluable throughout the program; we persevered together until we met our goal. To Michael Reeves who has been a source of strength, and Janelle Bryan whose optimism, faith, and positivity was infectious. I would like to thank Dr. Jennifer Willett, of the cohort one year prior, who was a font of encouragement and assistance. She provided me with insight and guidance since I entered the doctoral program, and stood by and supported me when I defended. I would also like to acknowledge Dr. Michele Eggers who was always there to offer suggestions, feedback, and whose example and dedication to human rights I admire.

I would like to thank my wife who stood by my side and for her patience, strength, and support throughout these five years. I could not have conducted this study and have succeeded without her. I would also like to thank my father, Walter Belsito Sr. Although he passed away in 2013, and did not see the completion of this research, this self-educated man taught me to have a great love and respect for other people, languages, and cultures since I was a child, and he always encouraged me to pursue an M.S.W. and PhD. I am deeply grateful to my mother who has always encouraged me and been a source of strength for me. To my son Antonio, now only three years old, who added an element of surprise and joy to this journey when he was born in my second year as a doctoral student.

I conducted this study about Brazilian immigrants, and I am a descendant of immigrants.

My great-grandparents came from Italy, Ireland, Québec, Canada, and France. I grew up hearing stories of my ancestors’ struggles and triumphs upon immigrating to the United States. Their lives and stories were uplifting while writing this work and a reminder of the struggles and challenges each generation of immigrants face. vi

Finally, I would like to thank the participants who took part in this study. It is their voices that I tried to bring forth through my skills as a researcher and writer. The Brazilian participants in this study immigrated to the United States at a time of great political and economic upheaval, and have lived daily under the dark cloud of crimmigration since 9/11.

Their stories of hope, resilience, and fortitude are an inspiration for me and I hope for all who read this dissertation. vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS APPROVAL PAGE ...... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...... iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ...... vii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ...... 1 Crimmigration ...... 3 Human Rights Violations ...... 9 Globalization and International Migration ...... 10 Brazilian Immigrants ...... 13 The Connecticut Context ...... 16 Theoretical Framework ...... 17 Immigration and Social Work ...... 27 Human Rights and Social Work...... 33 Critical Phenomenology ...... 36 Significance of the Study ...... 38 Organization of the Dissertation ...... 39 CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY ...... 41 Rationale for the Research Design ...... 41 Pre-Dissertation Research ...... 43 Research Questions ...... 44 Data Collection ...... 45 Sample and Sample Methodology ...... 48 Data Analysis ...... 50 Trustworthiness and Credibility ...... 59 Limitations ...... 63 Ethical Considerations ...... 65 Summary ...... 66 CHAPTER 3: BRAZIL, CONNECTICUT, AND DESCRIPTION OF PARTICIPANTS ...... 67 Brazil—A Tale of Two Cities ...... 68 Brief Historical Background ...... 69 Historical Background of Brazilian Immigration ...... 70 United States ...... 72 Connecticut ...... 73 The Participants ...... 75 viii

Chapter 4: MIGRATION, WORK, AND A BETTER LIFE ...... 86 Initial Immigration Experiences...... 88 From Sojourners to Settlers ...... 92 Saudades ...... 96 Brazilians’ Work Experiences ...... 98 Transnational Social Networks ...... 117 Summary ...... 128 CHAPTER 5: CRIMMIGRATION: DEPORTATION, DEPORTABILITY AND RACE ...... 129 The Power to Question Who is Legal and Who is Not ...... 130 Deportation and Deportability and The Emotions of Lived Experience ...... 139 Crimmigration and Work ...... 147 Brazilian Immigrants’ Perception of Crimmigration ...... 149 Discrimination and Race in the United States ...... 154 Summary ...... 162 CHAPTER 6: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION ...... 165 Summary of Findings ...... 166 Implications for Social Work ...... 171 Human Rights ...... 178 Future Research ...... 179 The Researcher as the Instrument of Measurement and Reflexive Practice ...... 181 Conclusion ...... 182 References ...... 187 List of Appendices ...... 219 Appendix A: Semi-Structured Interview Guide-English ...... 220 Appendix B: Semi-Structured Interview Guide-Portuguese ...... 223 Appendix C: IRB Information Sheet-English ...... 226 Appendix D: IRB Information Sheet-Portuguese ...... 228 Appendix E: Demographics of Participants ...... 230 Appendix F: Map of Brazil ...... 231 Appendix G: Map of Connecticut...... 232 Appendix H: US Hispanic/Latino Population ...... 233 Appendix I: ICE Deportations/Removals 2008-2015 ...... 234 Appendix J: Deportations by Country of Origin 2015 ...... 235 1

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways; the point, however, is to change it—Karl Marx, Eleven Theses on Feuerbach, 1845 (as cited in Tucker, 1978, p. 145)

Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral—Paulo Freire, The Politics of Education, 1973, p.122

Marcos, a participant for this study, is a 58-year-old undocumented Brazilian immigrant who has been living in the United States for 19 years. He has not been able to return to Brazil and is in a sense a “voluntary exile.” He is one of the estimated three million immigrants of the

Brazilian diaspora who left Brazil in the 1980s and 1990s due to extreme economic conditions and migrated to all parts of the world (Sheringham, 2013). Marcos described his life in the

United States prior to 9/11 as good and he has watched with fear and dismay the political, economic, and social changes that have occur