Under the most recent immigrant family separation policy, over 2,500 migrant children were separated from their parents upon entering the United States. While parents were referred for prosecution, their children were placed in the custody of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (1)
Family separation due to immigration policy is one of the most difficult and devastating situations that people may go through. Whether through deportation, detention, or forced separations at borders, families are torn apart, leaving both parents and children to cope with the devastating emotional, psychological, and long-term effects.
Despite the belief that children are strong enough to withstand these separations or that parents knowingly put their children in danger, the truth is significantly more complex. In this article we’re going to take a look at the emotional toll of family separation in immigration, the long-term effects for people, the need for policies that promote family unity, as well as the ways that Holistic Psychological Services, Inc. can help.
Understanding Immigration-Related Family Separation Trauma
To explain it in simple terms, family separation stress happens when parents and children are forced apart due to immigration regulations or events beyond their control. These separations can take several forms, including:
- Deportation of a parent while children remain in the host country.
- Detention of family members in immigration centers for prolonged periods.
- Refugee and asylum-seeking families being forcibly separated at borders.
- Parents sending children alone due to extreme danger in their home country.
Every occurrence causes permanent trauma, and the psychological damage varies depending on age, legal position, and accessible support networks. While some families are finally reunited, many never see each other again, resulting in unresolved grief, identity issues, and long-term mental distress. (2)
Emotional and Psychological Impact on Children
Children are especially sensitive to the devastation caused by family separation. Many people suffer from severe emotional scars that might have long-term consequences for their well-being.
How Children Process Immigration-Related Separation
- Extreme Fear and Abandonment: Children who experience abrupt deportations or separations often feel abandoned and in danger. Many fear that they will never get to see their parents again.
- Increased Anxiety and Depression: Prolonged stress brought on by the unpredictability and instability of separation results in mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.
- Emotional Dysregulation and PTSD Risk: Children who experience traumatic removals may develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can manifest as emotional outbursts, alienation, or trouble controlling their emotions.
- Feelings of Guilt: A lot of children hold themselves responsible for the split, thinking they were the reason behind their parent’s arrest or deportation.
- Academic Struggles: Children who experience emotional instability and distress find it difficult to focus in class, which has an impact on their academic achievement and future prospects.
- Cultural and Economic Hardships: Immigrant children face discrimination, cultural barriers, and financial hardships, leading to isolation, limited resources, and increased responsibilities. These struggles make it harder to adjust, thrive, and recover from family separation trauma. (3)
Parental Trauma and Grief
For parents, the effects of family separation are equally as devastating, if not more. Knowing that their children are growing up without them causes a great deal of anguish, helplessness, and fear for many parents.
The Psychological and Physical Toll on Parents
- Grief and Helplessness: Parents experience profound sadness, unable to provide for or protect their children.
- Chronic Stress and Health Deterioration: Many suffer from anxiety, depression, and physical health problems due to prolonged emotional distress.
- Financial Insecurity and Isolation: Deportation often means losing financial stability, making it even harder to reunite with their children.
- Fear of Being Forgotten: Parents worry their children will grow up resenting them or forgetting their bond altogether.
All that being said, legal impediments, economic challenges, and restrictive immigration regulations frequently make reunification practically impossible, leaving parents in a constant state of heartbreak.
Attachment and Relationship Breakdown
When families are forcefully separated, the link between parents and children is severely strained.
The Long-Term Effects of Parent-Child Separation
- Loss of Emotional Security: Children who lack parental support may struggle to trust caretakers, resulting in emotional detachment.
- Identity and Belonging Struggles: Children born in the United States to deported parents frequently feel divided between two cultures, striving to find a feeling of belonging.
- Difficulties Forming Relationships: Early attachment trauma makes it difficult for children to form secure connections in adulthood.
- Intergenerational Trauma: The psychological wounds of family separation are frequently handed down, hurting subsequent generations.
All of these effects highlight the urgency of addressing immigration policies that cause unnecessary harm to families.
Coping With the Effects of Immigration-Related Family Separation
Recognizing indicators of trauma in both children and parents is the first step toward recovery. Families rely heavily on support services to get through this tough time.
Strategies to Maintain Connection Despite Separation
- Therapeutic Interventions: Trauma-informed care and attachment therapy can assist children and parents in processing their situation or loss.
- Legal Support and Advocacy: Having access to legal aid improves the prospects of reunion and equitable treatment.
- Maintaining Contact: Letters, video conversations, and memory-keeping can all serve to strengthen emotional relationships.
- Community-Based Support Networks: Schools, churches, and non-profit groups provide resources to affected families.
Destigmatizing Family Separation Trauma in Immigration
Understanding the systemic factors behind family separations is key to addressing this crisis. That said, here are some factors to consider:
Factors Leading to Family Separation
- Strict Deportation and Detention Policies: Many families are separated as a result of strict immigration rules that prioritize enforcement above humanity.
- Lack of Legal Pathways for Reunification: The immigration system frequently makes it impossible for families to rejoin after separation.
- Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric: Negative narratives degrade immigrants while ignoring the painful emotional impact of separation.
Advocating for empathy-driven immigration policies means prioritizing family unity, ensuring humanitarian protections for asylum-seeking families, and challenging harmful narratives to raise awareness about the emotional and psychological impact of family separation.
Fighting for Family Unity– Find the Support You Need at Holistic Psychological Services, Inc.
Family separation in immigration has devastating emotional and psychological implications for both children and parents, but you do not have to confront them alone. At Holistic Psychological Services, Inc. our team understands the complexity of trauma and is here to provide compassionate, specialized care. We’re here to help you with healing, advice, and advocacy. Contact us today and take the first step toward emotional healing and resilience.
References
- Impacts of Family Separation, Yet Resilience and Hope for the Future. El Futuro./
- Understanding The Mental Health Consequences Of Family Separation For Refugees: Implications For Policy And Practice. NCBI.
- Children’s emotional and behavioral response following a migration: a scoping review. 2023 Mar 20. NCBI.
Disclaimer: The content provided in this blog is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing mental health challenges, please seek the advice of a qualified mental health professional. For immediate support, call 988 for 24/7 confidential assistance.