The Hidden Toll: How Immigration Affects Children’s Mental Health

Understanding the Impact—and How Parents and Schools Can Help

Immigration can be a story of resilience and opportunity, but for many children, it also comes with fear, disruption, and trauma—especially when families are navigating harsh or unstable immigration policies. In recent years, U.S. immigration enforcement actions such as family separations, detentions, and sudden deportations have deeply affected the mental health of immigrant children. In this blog post, we’ll explore the psychological challenges these children face, the role policy plays, and how parents and schools can better support them.

The Emotional and Psychological Impact

1. Family Separation and Detention

One of the most traumatic experiences a child can face is being separated from their parent. During the Trump administration’s "zero-tolerance" policy, thousands of children were taken from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border—many without a clear plan for reunification. Research shows that this kind of forced separation is strongly linked to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety.

Even when families are detained together, the stress of confinement in detention centers—often under poor conditions—can lead to emotional dysregulation, sleep disturbances, and long-term developmental harm. According to the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, “Children as young as three show signs of trauma related to separation or fear of losing a parent.”

2. Living in Fear of Deportation

Children in undocumented or mixed-status families live with the constant fear that one or both parents could be taken away. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, even when infrequent, create ripple effects of fear across entire communities. In many schools, teachers report rising absenteeism after immigration sweeps, as parents keep children home to avoid drawing attention. Kids may also avoid going to the doctor—even in emergencies—due to fear that a visit could lead to deportation.

3. Barriers to Mental Health Care

Despite the growing need, immigrant families often face barriers in accessing mental health services:

* Lack of health insurance

* Language barriers

* Fear of interacting with government institutions

* Lack of culturally competent care

According to a 2023 UCLA study, 67% of immigrants experiencing serious psychological distress did not receive mental health care.

What Parents Can Do

While systemic change is critical, parents can take meaningful steps to support their children’s mental health at home.

✅ Validate Emotions

Let your child know it’s okay to feel sad, scared, or confused. Don’t brush aside their feelings—acknowledgment builds emotional trust. It is also ok to share your own feelings with your child, so that your child’s feelings are normalized. They need reassurance that they are not alone.

✅ Keep Cultural Connections Strong

Encourage children to speak their native language, celebrate family traditions, and stay connected to their cultural identity. This fosters resilience and pride.

✅ Build Community

Join or create networks with other immigrant families. Community support can be a powerful buffer against isolation and stress.

✅ Find Culturally Competent Care

Seek out mental health professionals who understand your family’s cultural background and speak your language. Many community clinics and nonprofits offer services on a sliding scale.

✅ Educate Your Family

Teach your children about their rights, and make a family emergency plan. Knowing what to do in a crisis can reduce fear and confusion.

How Schools Can Make a Difference

Schools are often the first place where the signs of stress or trauma appear. Educators can play a vital role in supporting immigrant children—if they are trained and resourced to do so.

🏫 Implement Trauma-Informed Practices

Train teachers and staff to recognize trauma symptoms and respond compassionately. Avoid disciplinary actions that may re-traumatize students. To be clear, this does not mean that teachers should conduct themselves as mental health professionals. However, it is important for them to learn how to recognize trauma symptoms, so that they may respond in a compassionate way and refer their students to a trained mental health professional.

🏫 Provide Multilingual Counseling

Offer mental health support in multiple languages to ensure accessibility for students and their families.

🏫 Create Safe Spaces

Establish "safe zones" in schools where students can decompress or speak with trusted adults without fear.

🏫 Engage Parents

Host culturally inclusive events and provide materials in parents' native languages. Empower families to participate in school life.

🏫 Protect Student Privacy

Ensure that schools do not share immigration status with federal agencies and educate staff on students’ legal rights under Plyler v. Doe, which guarantees the right to public education regardless of immigration status.

Final Thoughts

The emotional health of immigrant children is not just a family matter—it’s a community, educational, and national responsibility. While the legal landscape around immigration may continue to shift, one thing is constant: children deserve safety, stability, and support.

By equipping families, schools, and communities with the right tools and awareness, we can begin to ease the psychological toll and build pathways to healing and resilience.

Need Support? We’re Here to Help.

If you or your family are navigating the immigration process and need emotional support, you’re not alone. Our team offers:

Culturally sensitive mental health counseling for immigrants.

Psychological evaluations to support asylum, U visa, T visa, VAWA, hardship waivers, and other immigration petitions

Your mental health matters—and it can make a meaningful difference in your legal journey.

Schedule a free confidential consultation today to learn how we can support your family’s well-being and help strengthen your immigration case.

Together, we can build safety, healing, and hope.

Helpful Resources:

Kids Mental Health Foundation(https://www.kidsmentalhealthfoundation.org/mental-health-resources/minority-mental-health/supporting-immigrant-children-mental-health)

ACLU: Know Your Rights(https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/immigrants-rights)

National Child Traumatic Stress Network (https://www.nctsn.org/what-is-child-trauma/trauma-types/refugee-and-immigrant-trauma)