All children belong in their homes with their families, at school with their teachers, at the park with their friends, and in the communities in which they live and are part of.
In March 2025, the federal government re-opened and re-instituted family detention centers or “family residential centers” (FRCs) managed by ICE and operated by private prison corporations. Since then, the number of families in detention centers has more than tripled, detaining children of all ages, starting in infancy. At the same time, preliminary data show a growing population of children who have lost a parent or primary caregiver due to deportation.
A plethora of research, and basic common sense, indisputably point to the fact that both detention and family separation are traumatic for children of all ages, and harm children’s wellbeing, development, mental health, and education.
This new research brief reviews the developmental impacts of child separation and detention, and provides context to this research using available data on the number of children currently separated and detained and the now widely reported conditions in these detention centers. We highlight gaps in standards, compliance, and accountability in such institutions, and provide key recommendations to prioritize child health and wellbeing in immigration policies moving forward.
Suggested Citation:
Meek, S., Soto-Boykin, X., Powell, T., Edyburn, K., Blevins, D., Palomino, C., & Aponte, G. Y. (2026, February). The Scars of Family Detention and Separation in the U.S. Immigration System. The Children’s Equity Project at Arizona State University. https://cep.asu.edu/the-scars-of-family-detention-and-separation.
