Living in an Undocumented Immigrant Family Under the Second Trump Administration: Fear, Uncertainty, and Impacts on Health and Well-Being

KFF conducted four focus groups with 29 Hispanic adults who are themselves a likely undocumented immigrant or living with a likely undocumented immigrant across the country to provide deeper insights into the experiences of these families amid the current environment. The four groups were conducted in March 2025 virtually in Spanish and each lasted two hours. Each group was mixed gender and included six to eight participants from several regions in the U.S.: California, Texas, New Jersey and New York, and parts of the Midwest (Kansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska).

For each group, participants were chosen based on the following criteria: Must be at least 18 years of age, identify as Hispanic, and either they or someone living with them are a noncitizen immigrant without lawful permanent resident status (a “green card”) and without a valid work or student visa, meaning they were likely undocumented. In addition, groups were chosen to represent a mix of household composition, including at least some participants who are parents; a mix of areas of employment; and a preference for recruiting participants who had sought health care in the U.S. and have someone in their household with an ongoing health condition. Participants had a variety of countries of birth including: Mexico (14), Colombia (4), Ecuador (3), El Salvador (2), Venezuela (2), Costa Rica (1), Argentina (1), Dominican Republic (1), and Honduras (1).

PerryUndem recruited and hosted the focus groups. The screener questionnaire and discussion guides were developed by researchers at KFF in consultation with PerryUndem. Groups were audio and video recorded with participants’ permission. Transcripts and recordings were de-identified and are used for research purposes only; they will be deleted after use. Each participant was given $200 after participating.