A Qualitative Study of Undocumented Migrants Living in Glasgow: Everyday Life, Mental Health, Precarity, and Healthcare Access

This study examines how UK hostile environment policies and internal immigration controls impact the mental health and lived experiences of undocumented migrants. Utilizing Heidegger’s phenomenological framework, interviews were conducted via Microsoft Teams with ten undocumented migrants (seven males, three females) from Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, and Bangladesh in Glasgow. Transcribed interviews were analyzed thematically. Four main themes emerged: (1) fear of identification and future uncertainty adversely affecting daily life; (2) a socially impotent life where hyper-vigilance and public policing hinder social relationships; (3) lack of legal immigration status causing precarious living conditions, anxiety, and strain; and (4) limited or no access to proper mental healthcare compounding daily struggles. The thematic analysis demonstrates that precarious immigration status combined with everyday bordering practices severely disrupts daily life, directly leading to precarious mental health conditions.