College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

Summer 8-24-2024

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Anne Saw, PhD

Second Advisor

Christine Reyna, PhD

Third Advisor

Olya Glantsman, PhD

Abstract

Global destabilization has resulted in nearly 110 million people forcibly displaced from their homes. Sanctuary cities like Chicago have become “migrant hubs,” seeing thousands of migrants enter the city to access shelter and resources. City officials have called for more support, as the number of migrants has outweighed the number of migrant service providers.

Migrant service organizations play an integral role in the resettlement journey of migrants. These organizations provide direct and indirect services to support their clients. However, as the migrant crisis continues to worsen, it threatens the social safety net established by governments and immigrant serving nonprofit agencies that work to meet the needs of these vulnerable individuals.

This study took a qualitative case study approach to understand Chicago’s Migrant Serving Ecosystem through the perspectives of migrant service providers who are at the frontline of two global public health crises—the COVID-19 pandemic and the migrant crisis. Guided by the Transformative Refugee Service Experience Framework (Boenigk et al., 2020) and using an ecological lens, this study utilized the RADAR technique (Watkins, 2017) and systemic thematic analysis (Naeem et al., 2023) to conceptualize Chicago’s Migrant Serving Ecosystem and identify what ecosystemic factors positively or negatively influence migrant service organizations’ ability to successfully serve their clients.

Chicago’s Migrant Serving Ecosystem is conceptualized as a system composed of three ecological levels: individual, organization, and macrosystem. Findings support the interrelatedness and interdependence among these levels, from macrosystemic factors such as governmental policy to service organizations to individuals who are both recipients and providers of migrant services. Stakeholders within the ecosystem interact to ensure migrant needs are met. Chicago’s Migrant Serving Ecosystem is hospitable when the system supports interdependency, resource cycling and adaptation. Stressors such as hostile services, lack of organizational capacity, public health crises and sociopolitical climate threaten the fragility of the ecosystem. Findings from this study inform recommendations to ameliorate the dire migrant crisis.

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