The Mental Health Impact Of Deportation On Families

Deportation often has profound effects on the physical and mental health of the individual being deported and their family. Deportation can result in family separation, legal battles, financial challenges, and other traumatic or stressful situations. Exploring the various mental health challenges often experienced by immigrant families and the effects of deportation on their mental health can be a step toward understanding mental health and immigration, as well as how to start getting help if you or a loved one has been impacted. 

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Immigration and the dilemma facing immigrant families

According to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, more than 142,000 individuals were deported from the United States in the fiscal year 2023. Many of these individuals may have been separated from family or deported alongside family members. 

For those who have not gone through it, it may be challenging to understand the difficult choices that many immigrant families face. In 1996, Congress passed the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, which increased immigration enforcement and placed strong penalties on undocumented immigrants. For example, the act stipulated that individuals who stayed in the United States without permission for 180 days (but fewer than 365 days) had to remain outside the country for a minimum of three years unless they received a pardon. The penalty for staying in the country for more than 365 days was even greater, imposing that individuals must remain out of the country for ten years. 

These penalties mean that illegal immigrants often face a difficult decision: either leave the country and their family, which could also lead to job loss, or stay in the country to support their family.

Mental health challenges of immigrants and their families

Immigrants and immigrant families can face significant mental health challenges, including but not limited to the following. 

A lack of access to mental healthcare 

Long before the deportation process begins, immigrants and their families may experience stress related to fear of being identified and deported. This sense of fear can have profound effects on everyday decisions that affect physical and mental health. For example, some immigrant families may experience fear before visiting a doctor’s office or social service agency. This fear can lead to undiagnosed physical and mental health disorders. In some cases, a person might not receive medication that can be critical to addressing mental illnesses like depression or bipolar disorder. 

In other cases, a person might not be able to receive counseling or therapy, which may mean they remain unaware that they have a mental illness or that there are effective treatments available. The effects of untreated mental health conditions can extend to the individual’s family members, who may blame themselves if they don’t understand their loved one is living with a mental disorder. 

Lack of culturally competent care

Even if a person does not experience fear of seeking treatment, they may face linguistic or cultural barriers to treatment. In some cases, even experienced therapists may not understand a person's various cultural beliefs and values from another country. For example, in some cultures, people may hesitate to discuss emotional challenges. In addition, they may experience more somatization, which refers to the physical manifestation of emotional challenges. 

Although some mental health professionals speak various languages and can provide culturally competent care, their fees may not be affordable to a person facing economic hardship. These individuals may have to prioritize other expenses, such as food, clothing, and medication, for themselves and their families. 

Impacts on children 

The fear of deportation can affect the children of immigrants in a number of ways. Some children may experience prolonged stress, which can affect brain development. According to research published in the Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, the “existing literature supports effects of early life exposure to deportation on the development of the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and amygdala, along with communication across those areas, in ways that produce increased vulnerability to mental and physical health disorders later in life.” This exposure can affect the mental health outcomes of children as they get older. 

The mental health impact of deportation on families

When a person is arrested by the authorities, the whole family may experience a sense of immediate fear. Even if the person has children who are US citizens (as is the case of many Latino immigrant children, as well as those of other cultures), the threat of deportation can cause intense fear of family separation. The family may also experience stigma associated with being undocumented and going through the deportation process. Part of this stigma may involve loss of income if a working parent is facing deportation. 

Children may fear losing their home and having to relocate to a new school district. In some cases, families decide to relocate to the country of origin of the person being deported, which can involve a major transition for children who may have never been to that country. The rupture of social connections can profoundly affect both adults and children. According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychology, moving even once can have a major impact on children and adolescents, as they have to adjust to a new school and establish new social bonds.  

In addition to the impact on children, a person’s significant other may experience extreme stress due to the thought of separation. Some people facing deportation may be in relationships with US citizens or legal permanent residents who may not be in a position to move to the person’s country of origin. They may face increased pressure to work more to compensate for the loss of family income. Both the individual facing deportation and their significant other may experience uncertainty about the future of the relationship if there is no possibility of being together for months or even years. Children may pick up on this uncertainty, which can affect their sense of security and stability. 

Support for families before and after deportation 

Regardless of a person’s immigration status, help is available for the mental health challenges they face. One possible source of support is Immigrants Rising, an organization that seeks to help undocumented immigrants. 

Immigrants Rising offers a resource called the Mental Health Connector, which links individuals with licensed therapists who offer free psychological support. The organization also provides resources on topics that may be of interest to immigrants and their families, such as immigration policies, immigration raids, and mental health. Finally, Immigration Rising provides support groups led by clinicians or trained mental health professionals. 

Another resource that may be useful to immigrants is the Coalition for Immigrant Mental Health. This non-profit organization offers information sessions on topics related to immigration, such as asylum claims and immigration policy. Individuals can also find recordings of several live presentations, with topics like “The Impact of Immigration Policy on Mental Health and How to Intervene.”

Therapy for immigrant families

In addition to the above community organizations, families in the process of deportation or fearing possible deportation may benefit from speaking with a licensed therapist. In some communities, it may be possible to find a therapist with linguistic and cultural competence to meet the needs of immigrant families. However, this option may be challenging for individuals and families in rural areas with few mental health professionals. In these cases, it may be more helpful to seek help through an online therapy platform like BetterHelp.

Online therapy platforms may allow clients to match with a therapist who speaks their language and understands their culture. This option may be helpful for people from various backgrounds, including Chinese, Indian, and Mexican immigrant families, among the many other groups present in the United States. In addition, online therapy allows clients to sign up in a more personal setting, so they do not have to divulge their identification to receive support. 

Research shows that online therapy can be as effective as traditional in-person therapy for a number of mental health challenges. One study published in 2020 found that electronically delivered cognitive-behavioral therapy (eCBT) was “at least as effective” as in-person therapy in treating depression.