Hidden narratives of un / documented Mexicanas

The purpose of this study is to shed light on the constraints and pressures to which the lives of two Mexican women who entered the U.S. without documentation are subject by presenting an analysis of how resistance is manifested through various acts of individual and social agency. One of the principal goals of this examination is to open a channel to understand the experiences of Mexican immigrant women. Moreover, the study attempts to preserve women's historical experiences, particularly as these relate to their resistance of social and structural constructions. Its significance, thus, is that it contributes to ensuring that women's place in Latin American immigration to the United States does not go unrecognized or unexamined. This is of particular importance when taking into account the little intersection that currently exists between immigration and women studies.

Data was collected through ethnographic qualitative methods including field observations and in-depth interviews of both participants. Findings address the circumvention of immigration laws and available networks of support, factors that influenced immigration, the reclaiming or building of a professional status and gender inequalities. The study concludes with an examination of the women's third space existence as they experience life in a liminal space of resistance and compliance even after securing documentation.