This article is a phenomenological exploration and description of particular aspects of living as an undocumented immigrant. In lieu of a political or economic approach to describe the undocumented immigrant experience, the phenomenological method I utilize allows for a more intimate exchange. What follows, then, is a necessarily detailed and subjective—albeit partial—exploration of my lived conscious experience: making sense of fixed limitations, the need to substantiate my worthiness, the embodiment of perpetual and pervasive fear, as well as my exploration of free will and the question of agency. I explore the traumatic embodied experience and my growing capacity to tolerate dysregulated arousal states long after a legal change of status as well offer practice implications for those working with undocumented immigrants. © 2017, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Phenomenology undocumented immigrant Lived experience trauma

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