summarize the key points of the paper:Menjivar, Cecilia and Leisy J. Abrego. 2012. "Legal Violence: Immigration Law and the Lives of Central American Immigrants." American Journal of Sociology, 117 (5): 1380-1421.

In their 2012 paper "Legal Violence: Immigration Law and the Lives of Central American Immigrants," Cecilia Menjivar and Leisy J. Abrego examine how U.S. immigration laws and policies create a form of "legal violence" that impacts the lives of Central American immigrants. Here are the key points from their study:

**Definition of Legal Violence**: The authors define legal violence as the harmful effects of legal frameworks and processes that, while not physically violent, create conditions of vulnerability and insecurity for immigrants.

**Impact of Immigration Law**: The study highlights how immigration laws enforce exclusion and marginalization, subjecting immigrants to a range of legal and social challenges. These challenges include uncertainty about their legal status, fear of deportation, and limited access to resources.

**Experiential Accounts**: The researchers utilize interviews and qualitative data to illustrate the lived experiences of Central American immigrants. These narratives reveal the psychological and emotional toll of legal violence, including anxiety, fear, and social isolation.

**Intersectionality**: The paper discusses how factors such as race, gender, and socioeconomic status intersect with immigration status to compound the effects of legal violence. Central American women and children often experience these effects in unique and particularly severe ways.

**Policy Implications**: Menjivar and Abrego argue that immigration policies should be re-evaluated to consider their broader social implications. They advocate for reforms that protect immigrant rights and promote social justice, rather than perpetuating harm through exclusionary practices.

**Broader Context**: The authors place their findings within the wider context of globalization and transnationalism, arguing that immigration laws are not just national policies but are influenced by global economic and political factors.

Overall, the paper provides a critical analysis of how U.S. immigration law functions as a mechanism of control and marginalization, resulting in significant social and psychological harms to Central American immigrants.