In States of Belonging, Jimenez, Schildkraut, Huo, and Dovidio have produced an important work of social science. The authors examine “how immigration policies” impact “whether and how individuals who live in different unwelcoming and welcoming contexts feel that they belong where they live” (9). In a review of state immigration policies, they show that Arizona is an example of an unwelcoming state, while New Mexico pursues more welcoming policies in relation to “U.S.-born” and “foreign born Latinos” (38). The book utilizes a mix of research methods including interviews, analysis of polling data, and experiments to discuss how policies, and the discourses surrounding them, impact sense of belonging. They look at survey metrics, including whether individuals “feel that I belong in my state,” believe “Latinos [are] discriminated against in my state,” and assessments about how important people feel it is to hail from their state (54–57).

The authors conclude that “the unwelcoming climate in Arizona is associated with lower levels of belonging” for “U.S.-born Latinos,” compared with New Mexico (52–53). “Arizona Latinos” are significantly more likely to recognize that there is discrimination against them compared with those in New Mexico (