The law of livelihoods: How legal frameworks shape migrants' financial journeys

Authors

Annie Bright, Moody Foundation Visiting Assistant Professor; St. Mary's University

Files

Publication Date

Spring 2025

Department

School of Law

Description

The financial lives of migrants reveal critical intersections between legal frameworks and socio-economic outcomes. Drawing on the findings of the Journeys Project, a qualitative study examining the financial health and trajectories of migrants in their countries of arrival, this article explores the role of laws and policies in shaping the financial health of migrants, addressing barriers such as documentation, legal status, and access to financial services. It proposes legal reforms and frameworks that foster environments where migrants can achieve financial stability and self-sufficiency, using firsthand accounts from the project’s financial biographies to highlight the human impact of these issues.

Keywords

Immigration law, Finances, Migration; Migrants' experiences

Digital Publisher

Digital Commons at St. Mary's University

Collection

Research Showcase Presentations -2025

Format

pdf

Medium

Presentation

City

San Antonio, Texas

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.