Emotional Labor and Mental Health in Adult Education: Reintegration Among Deported Mexicans in Bilingual Call Centers Post-COVID 19

Abstract

This study investigates the role of bilingual call centers in Mexico as platforms for reintegration and skill development for Mexicans deported from the United States post-COVID-19. Utilizing a qualitative research framework, we conducted 30 in-depth interviews in Tijuana and Juarez, combined with ethnographic fieldwork, to explore the lived experiences of deported individuals working in these call centers. Our analysis reveals that while call centers provide critical employment opportunities and access to adult education, they also pose significant mental health challenges due to stressful work conditions and frequent exposure to caller abuse. The findings underscore the need for targeted policy interventions to improve work conditions and support the mental health of this vulnerable population. This paper contributes to the discourse on migration and adult education by highlighting the complex dynamics of bilingual call centers as both avenues for socio-economic reintegration and sources of psychological stress for deported Mexicans.