Immigration Enforcement and Family Separation: Unintended Consequences for Children and Families
Posted May 29th, 2010 by Wendy CervantesChildren of immigrants currently comprise nearly 1 in 4 of all U.S. children. It is estimated that more than 5 million of these children, the majority of whom are native-born U.S. citizens, live in mixed-status families with one or more undocumented parent. While the debate over comprehensive immigration reform has often overlooked these citizen children, inaction on immigration reform and ongoing enforcement measures are having a significant impact on thousands of America’s most vulnerable children.
Immigration enforcement activities by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and local law enforcement agencies operating under ICE have significantly increased over the past decade. According to a report by the DHS Inspector General’s Office, over 108,000 parents of U.S. citizen children were removed from the U.S. between 1998 and 2007. Furthermore, a 2007 report by the Urban Institute reveals that on average, one child is affected for every two adults arrested in a worksite raid. Findings such as these resulted in ICE’s adoption of humanitarian guidelines to minimize the instances of family separation for enforcement activities involving more than 25 arrests. However, these humanitarian guidelines do not apply to targeted home raids and individual arrests, which are the types of immigration enforcement currently experiencing rapid growth.
The impacts on child well-being and family unity resulting from such enforcement activities are immeasurable. They include separation (sometimes permanent) from one or both parents due to detention and/or deportation, interruptions in schooling, short and long-term emotional trauma, and economic hardship due to the loss of the family breadwinner. In many cases, schools, early learning and child care centers, social service agencies, and communities are unprepared to respond adequately to protect the best interests of children left behind. Often, detained parents are not able to make child care arrangements, resulting in the unnecessary placement of their children in the child welfare system. Once a child is placed into foster care, it is extremely difficult for a detained parent to reunify with his or her child, especially if that parent is transferred to an out-of-state detention facility or deported before regaining custody of his or her child.
Protecting Children and Keeping Families Together. Ultimately, the enforcement of our immigration laws should not conflict with our obligation to protect the rights of children. ICE should ensure that parents and primary caregivers of minor children are identified and, when appropriate, released into the community on bond or parole, or into non-custodial alternatives to detention programs. Every effort should be made to ensure that children are not present or engaged in enforcement activities, and families, social workers, and lawyers should be able to locate those who are detained. Additionally, children consequently placed in the foster care system should receive appropriate care, and parents should be able to participate in all court proceedings and case plans involving the care and custody of their children.
9 Comments
April 24, 2012 at 4:45 pm by aime barahonaMy family is also suffering during this long immigration process. My husband and I have been married for 6 years and we have 2 children. He left on October 2011 and had 2 appointments at the US Embassy in Honduras. We are all heartbroken and disappointed because at his last appointment for the waiver he was told to check back in 7 months for the status of his case. It is difficult because my children ask for him and don’t understand why he can’t come home with us. My husband feels bad because he is not able to support his family. It is hard to support our family with one income. It seems that the process in Honduras is very slow because their website indicates the process for waivers takes 12 months. I don’t understand how this can be, why does it take so long for them to review a waiver packet. They have 41 cases pending since August 2010, something needs to change. I pray and ask God for help each day because this is very hard for our family and many others that are also suffering. Blessings
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April 17, 2012 at 2:28 pm by stephanie hernandezI too am writing about immigration. I pray for those families who are being unnecessarily separated — God willing for other options to be open, approved and accepted. Blessings,
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March 14, 2012 at 7:18 pm by Crystal EstrellaHello i just wanted to share my story also,my husband and i have been together for 7 years,we met when i was 15, we have a 6 year old, and a 1 and 1/2 year old.I applied for the i 130 petition back in 2006, and have been doing all the immigration applications on our own.We were planing on leaving to Mexico together because my husband has a voluntary departure on March 21. My husbands boss got my husband a lawyer barely 2 days ago, and she informed me that my kids and i can not go and live with him, we can only go in visit, my husband is heart broken, he feels like his life is getting token away from him, he is a really good worker so his boss paid for the whole thing almost 4,000. and on top of that, him and his wife are going to be our co sponsors for the i864.This whole thing is tearing me apart. I cant stop crying, my husband does not deserve any of this, if the lawyer say its ok,i am going to leave our youngest out there, because he is going to need his daddy, and his daddy is going to need him to keep strong, and know we have to do what we can to be together, and this will only make our love stronger, but what about my kids and i, i already feel soo depressed, im probably going to need meds, and my daughter sees her daddy cry and it hurts her, she might need therapy.I cant take care of my kids by myself, i need my other half, i cant believe this is happening, i wanted to change my life to be with him and my kids in Mexico. Its just not fair sometimes.And all he did was got caught for driving without a license a couple of times.We were both young, and struggled to never be apart, and never were, not for a day. and all of a sudden, my world has been turned upside down, i just wish this stress and pain would go away, and somebody can see what they are putting us through, God Bless!
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March 31, 2011 at 11:05 pm by brokenheartedThank you for posting this my husband was deported 3 weeks ago he was the only provider I am left alone with our 5 children yes I know 5 i want to let u know my situation Many people look down on the Undocumented but let me tell you my husband didnt enter this country by choice he was 7 yrs old brought here by a family member illegally he grew up here worked here and has a family here he had a stable job with a company for 8 yrs until a routine traffic stop I lost my home a beautiful 4 bedroom home our cars everything we worked so hard for. He is my highschool sweetheart I feel so bad because I know there is other families with this false sense of security until the rug is pulled right underneath their feet well he lost his job because of his status not the the company didnt know about his legal status just that once caught they didnt want problems…Well i am left here helpless my mother passed after month in the hospital he was a great support for me she passed feb15 2011 i am in grief and then exactly a month later my hubby is gone like he simply vanished i can hear him but not c him we talk on the phone every other day hes having a hard time over there too I am in shock i dont know if ill be able to cope ive been looking for work and no calls its hard because no one will be here when my kids get off the bus no one to help with homework dinner and showers on most days Its getting harder to cope with this each day the last thing i need is to lose my children too…Michael 13 Jasmin 8 Elizabeth 6 Rosalie 4 and Immanuel 18mths this is not fair this isnt justice for them …
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Anita Reply:
April 1st, 2011 at 2:47 pm
@brokenhearted – I am so sorry to hear your story and wish the best everyday for your family. Thanks for writing.
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suzanne Reply:
April 13th, 2011 at 12:54 pm
@brokenhearted,
I can feel your pain. My son-in-law voluntarily went back to Mexico a year and a half ago. My daughter has a three year old that turned two, two days before her daddy left. Have you gotten in touch with your senator in the state you live in? They should have a liason that can help you navigate a way to get your husband back.
I agree that something needs to be done about this issue. He also came over as a minor with his brother. Our government needs to realize the impact that this is having on the children and spouses here in the US.
Keep your chin up. I will keep you and your family in my prayers.
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I would like to thank you for posting this. Although I found it by search engine in my needing to write 2 different papers for school about immigration, it is also a passion of mine. I am a true believer of freedom for all and I believe that was what the immigrants who formed this nation intended. If only people would look at the bottom line and ask themselves, “am I 100% native american?” The answer is most likely “no” and therefore, you are an immigrant. I say we embrace the multiple cultures we are blessed to be surrounded by.
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Anita Reply:
July 30th, 2010 at 5:48 pm
@chelsea- We’re so glad you found us! Thanks for coming by and leaving a comment. Good luck with your papers!
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cortney Reply:
November 22nd, 2011 at 8:00 pm
@Anita,
I too ran across your post on a search engine while looking for research for an immigration paper. Your story has opened my eyes to what is going on in this country. I had a thesis for my paper already, but i have now decided to change my thesis. I will be writing about how we as a country can change the law to stop these unfortunate(this word doesn’t come close to your heartache) events. I will keep you, your children, and your husband in my prayers everyday.My family will also be praying for you and the many other families inflicted in the same fashion that your family has been inflicted and stolen from.God Bless you Anita.
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