Restrictive Landscapes of Migration: Extended Shelter and Security on Migrant Routes in Southern Mexico

Abstract

A new migrant shelter was constructed in a city in Chiapas, Mexico. Migrants at the shelter are experiencing long periods in limbo due to current Mexican immigration policies. This thesis explores migrant experiences in liminality at the shelter, as well as how a context of "conflicted care" influences everyday interactions and negotiations between shelter staff and shelter guests. Importantly, the thesis investigates how contexts of extended shelter have important implications for migrant well-being. The primary methodologies utilized were participant observations and semi-structured interviews. Research on how migrants are experiencing “conflicted care” in extended shelters offers important considerations for understanding how to better support migrant health and safety in shelter settings along their journey.