Abstract
Migrant social networks are interpersonal ties that transmit information and resources between migrants, former migrants, and non-migrants (Massey et al. 2005). Social network research has focused primarily on men while disregarding women and their experiences. This study, therefore, aims to mitigate this gap in research by exploring how immigrant mothers of Mexican origin obtain employment in the United States through their social networks. Some scholars have found that women do not have the same degree of assistance from migrant social networks, because their social networks are gendered (Hondagneu-Sotelo 1994). This study, thus, explores the experiences of single immigrant women with how their social networks and their marital status marginalizes them. Social capital and intersectionality theories guide the analysis of this qualitative study. Through a purposive-snowball sampling method, seven in-depth interviews with open-ended questions explore the nature and effectiveness of single-immigrant women’s networks when seeking employment opportunities. This study helps understand how immigrant mothers who are single utilize their social ties to integrate and adapt to a new country, and how structures of inequality are navigated in the search of a better future.