Overcoming Research Barriers with Undocumented Populations: COVID-19 Lessons Learned

The COVID-19 pandemic forced researchers to adopt digital technology for data collection, but this shift did not meet the needs of undocumented immigrants. Issues like digital illiteracy, language barriers, and technological constraints hindered effective virtual data collection. Drawing from the authors’ experiences, this note highlights key challenges such as participants’ limited digital skills, trust-building difficulties, and frequent interview rescheduling. To address these, a collaboration with a trusted community organization was essential to advocate for favorable policies and bridge the digital divide. While the pandemic itself may no longer be a primary concern, the methodologies and strategies developed offer valuable lessons for current research.