Children’s health at risk due to deportations

The deportations that take place in various U.S. cities have a significant negative impact on the physical and mental health of minors, as children can experience stress, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders and physical health problems due to separation from their parents, uncertainty and stigmatization.

Daniela Rodríguez, a reporter for Radio Bilingüe and a UC Berkeley Fellow, prepared this report.

In California, recent detention and deportation tactics under the Trump administration are generating growing concern among community organizations, as they have left children separated from their families, and furthermore, emotionally affected and exposed to traumatic situations. This includes witnessing their loved ones being detained by agents in civilian clothes and without visible identification, and at times, learning that they were deported or detained in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers.

Mayra Alvarez, president of an organization that promotes children’s health in low-income communities of color tells us why these ICE tactics are affecting children’s health.

“Lo que estamos mirando de esta administración a nivel federal son acciones que nunca hemos esperado. Están haciendo deportaciones, pero también están enseñando su presencia en lugares que deben de ser seguros para nuestras familias”.

These operations, even in parks, schools and stores, are generating fears that prevent families from leading daily lives as they normally would, says Mayra, something that especially affects children. She emphasizes that family separation, for example, has quite serious consequences for children.

“Puede afectar su salud física y mental. Muchos estudios demuestran que los niños separados de sus padres debido a la deportación son más propensos a desarrollar PTSD, en español TEPT: la idea de que estás traumado. Hemos visto diferentes estudios que la deportación, la separación de las familias pueden provocar problemas de comportamiento como agresión, retraimiento, más estrés y ansiedad”.

And the repercussions go beyond emotional health. The deportation of a parent can jeopardize the economic stability of the household and even the children’s nutrition, says Mayra.

“Esto va a causar diferentes problemas para las familias… en el área de sus finanzas, de su hogar, de la comida que puede acceder el niño”. 

The Children’s Partnership is also concerned about certain patterns it says are often repeated: families avoiding sending their children to school or registering for public services for fear of deportation.

“Vamos a ver que las familias no quieren obtener esos servicios por miedo a que algo les va afectar su estatus migratorio. Eso no es justo, porque esos servicios son su derecho recibir esos servicios.” 

A tragic example of the emotional consequences is the suicide of Jocelyn Rojo Carranza, an 11-year-old girl who took her own life a few months ago in Texas. Her mother believes that bullying related to her family’s immigration status may have influenced her decision. Mayra Alvarez warns that this crisis of fear that immigrant communities are experiencing is a direct consequence of the actions of the current presidential administration.

“Esa es una crisis que se hizo por el gobierno… Es algo que podemos parar”.

Mayra points out that nearly half of California’s child population belongs to immigrant families, or just over 4 million children statewide.

“No se puede separar inmigración de la salud de los niños. Tenemos que considerar los dos y asegurarnos que tenemos pólizas que se centran en el bienestar de los niños y nuestras familias.”

In the face of this crisis, Mayra proposes ideas such as strengthening access to mental health services and constant medical coverage such as Medi-Cal, especially in the first five years of a child’s life, which are critical for his or her development.

“Queremos asegurarnos de que seguimos considerando a nuestra comunidad inmigrante,  pero especialmente a nuestra comunidad indocumentada, que son parte de nuestra comunidad y tienen el derecho a acceder a esos servicios.

From California, families and organizations continue to demand and promote measures that prioritize both health and child safety, especially for children of immigrant families whose members are detained by ICE.

Many thanks to my colleague Daniela Rodriguez, Radio Bilingüe reporter and UC Berkeley scholar.