Wanting to Leave; Needing to Stay: Issues for Undocumented Mothers of Children with Disabilities
In response to anti-immigrant policies, countless families are returning to their countries of origin. One immigrant community persists: the undocumented mothers of children with disabilities (CWD). Using the testimonios of Spanish-speaking Latinx mothers of emergent bilingual CWD, this study answers the question of why they stay. This study presents the reasons why these mothers would rather return to their country of origin but choose to stay in the United States to meet the needs of their children. The ways in which disability labels and monolingual placements influence their decision are shared, as well as possibilities for supporting these families.Abstract
Contributor Notes
Author Bio
María Cioè-Peña, as a bilingual/biliterate neurodiverse researcher, María examines the intersections of disability, language, school-parent partnerships, and education policy. She focuses specifically on Latinx bilingual children with dis/abilities, their families, and their ability to access multilingual and inclusive learning spaces within public schools. María’s two-time award-winning dissertation focused on the experiences of Spanish- speaking mothers raising emergent bilinguals labeled as disabled. Maria’s work is featured in multiple journals including Urban Review; Education Forum; Bilingual Research Journal; International Journal of Inclusive Education, as well as contributed to multiple edited volumes. María Cioè-Peña is an assistant professor in Educational Foundations and a Community-Engaged Teaching Fellow at Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ; E-mail: cioepenam@montclair.edu.
