Disrupted Memories of Migration: Remembering a Blurred Past in the Context of an Uncertain Future

This chapter explores the experiences of undocumented migrant youths in the United States. Drawing on testimonios published in the New York Times, the chapter makes three arguments. First, it shows how migrant youths use processes of social memories to frame their migratory experiences. Then the chapter highlights how the politicized memories of migrant youths become a form of resilience as they reflect on their incorporation in the USA. Finally, it concludes by showing how these youths draw from their past to project into their uncertain future during the first Trump administration in the USA. Ultimately, we argue, memory serves to ground and mobilize youths by providing a solid sense of fearlessness based on their willingness to continue fighting for more rights in the USA.