The Impacts of Family Separation and Deportation on Children: Health, Development, Mental Health, Education and Economic Conditions
Well documented research finds that deportation and resulting family separation can have wide ranging and long lasting consequences for children. This brief reviews the latest research on the mental health of immigrant children and families, with an emphasis on the deleterious impacts of deportation and family separation. We review impacts on healthy development, stress (including toxic stress) and mental health, as well as economic security and education. In particular, we find that:
1️⃣ Family separations result in severe short and long term stress and contribute to mental health challenges for children and adults. 2️⃣ Family separations cause financial hardship for family members who remain, contributing to housing and food insecurity. 3️⃣ Family separations often disrupt children’s primary attachment relationships and have deep impacts on their development. This is particularly salient for young children whose brain development and social and emotional foundations are formed in the context of, and dependent on, these critically important caregiving relationships. 4️⃣ Family separations impact educational experiences and outcomes, with family deportations being associated with lower school performance, grade retention, absenteeism, and high school dropout.