Kristina Fullerton Rico awarded Russell Sage Dissertation Grant

Headshot of Kristina Fullerton RicoThe Russell Sage Foundation (RSF) established its new dissertation research grants program to support innovative and high-quality research projects that are closely aligned with its funding priorities, contribute to RSF’s mission to improve social and living conditions in the United States, and demonstrate appropriate use of relevant theory, innovative data, rigorous research methods, and measures.  Kristina Fullerton Rico is one of thirty graduate students who received this prestigious award.  Fullerton Rico will examine the experiences of undocumented Mexican immigrants in New York City who are aging out of the workforce. She will conduct interviews and participant observation for her study.  As the U.S. has tightened its borders and reduced opportunities for undocumented immigrants to adjust their status, the undocumented population in the U.S. has grown. This has resulted in longer stays for immigrants who may have planned to migrate only for a short period of time. As a result, the undocumented population is not only growing, but aging, and undocumented immigrants are unable to retire or access social safety-net programs.