AbstractPrior research on psychological empowerment has found that community participation is associated with socio‐political control, which takes place when people perceive control in their socio‐political contexts. However, the process by which this relationship occurs remains an understudied area for migrants. This study aims to: (a) analyze the differences in socio‐political control, critical thinking, and ethnic identity according to membership in migrant community‐based organizations; and (b) propose a predictive model of socio‐political control. A total of 239 first‐generation migrants living in northern Italy completed a questionnaire (48.4% belonged to a migrant community‐based organization). Members were found to have higher levels than nonmembers in all the variables. A moderated mediation model was proposed, whereby ethnic identity was a mediator between community participation and socio‐political control, and critical thinking was a negative moderator between ethnic identity and socio‐political control. Practical implications for enhancing socio‐political control among migrants in receiving societies are discussed.