Drawing on more than a decade of research on undocumented immigration, this article advances methodological considerations and practices designed to safeguard vulnerable populations. Framed as both a response to the current U.S. sociopolitical climate and a call for methodological reflexivity, it urges researchers of undocumented migration to reexamine their approaches to risk assessment. The goal is to promote research practices that minimize harm and prioritize protection for undocumented participants. The article outlines three key areas of practice: using risk assessment to protect undocumented populations, extending considerations to safeguard the researcher, and determining what to do when the risks outweigh the benefits. Through these methodological innovations, I advocate for research processes that center undocumented immigrants’ safety and dignity at every stage of inquiry. Ultimately, this work interrogates whether the potential benefits of studying undocumented populations justify the risks they bear. I draw on my own experiences as a formerly undocumented, DACA benefited immigrant, now navigating the field from a position of relative legal privilege.
Alessandra Bazo Vienrich (Wed,) studied this question.