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Abstract

The topic of highly educated immigrant incorporation has been studied through the integration paradox within Eastern European immigrant communities. This paradox argues that highly educated immigrants turn away from the host society, rather than becoming more incorporated with it. However, this research has not adequately addressed highly educated Latin American immigrant communities in the US. Additionally, this research has not sufficiently addressed an added layer of the paradox of how the intersection of race and class may play a role in immigrant incorporation experiences. Therefore, this paper will address highly educated Latin American immigrants with special attention to the intersection of race and class. Specifically, this paper will examine how the intersection of race and class plays a role in the incorporation experiences of highly educated Latin American immigrants in the US; furthermore, how highly educated Latin American immigrants make meaning of their incorporation experiences in the US. The data was collected through intensive interviews with highly educated Latin American immigrants in the US. The main findings are: 1) participants have feelings of resentment from experienced micro-aggressions and stereotypes, 2) participants with lighter skin are self-aware of their privileges and recognize that race is a correlation to class for Latin Americans, 3) the participants disengage from the US society because they feel deprived of their previous social and class status they experienced in their home country, 4) many of the participants felt that Americans devalued their intelligence and overall capabilities, and 5) highly educated Latin American immigrants have a lost or confused identity after spending time in the US. This paper demonstrates the significance that the intersection of race and class has on the incorporation experiences of highly educated Latin American immigrants in the US.

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