Disclaimer: The views expressed here are the author’s own and do not represent the organization.
In a recent executive order, the United States government has signaled a dramatic escalation in immigration enforcement policies. While framed as a matter of national security, the order has far-reaching psychological consequences for all people. Anti-immigrant rhetoric and actions fuels divisiveness and otherness, and create barriers between people fostering fear, mistrust and misunderstanding. When immigrants are labeled as undesirable others, this isolates communities limiting opportunities for shared growth and making empathy and cooperation difficult. In turn, anti-immigrant rhetoric and actions perpetuate cycles of conflict and violence that threaten us all. The more divided we are, the less we can accomplish together. For the most marginalized immigrant communities living in the United States and those desperately waiting for entry, these detrimental health, economic and social effects of these enforcement policies are devastating and long-lasting. For immigrant families fleeing violence and starvation, individuals escaping persecution, and children seeking safety—the ramifications are not just logistical but manifest as profound psychological stress, fractured family bonds, and long-term trauma that will shape our future.
"the administration sends a very clear message: fear, not hope, now defines the immigrant experience in the United States."
While there is no objection to deporting violent immigrants convicted of violent crimes, the Executive Order’s interpretation by enforcement agencies has resulted in the inclusion of immigrants who are neither violent nor have committed crimes, exacerbating harm to immigrant communities, but also to U.S. society. The new immigration order revokes key protections established by prior administrations, which sought to abide to the values upon which this nation was build- life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness- protection of unalienable rights given to all humans and which governments are due to protect. By dismantling family reunification initiatives, curtailing pathways to asylum, and broadly targeting individuals with precarious immigration statuses for detention and deportation, the administration sends a very clear message: fear, not hope, now defines the immigrant experience in the United States.
The ripple effects of these policies extend beyond the immigrant community. By fostering an atmosphere of suspicion and exclusion, the order deepens divisions in the United States’ society. Local law enforcement agencies, now tasked with immigration duties, risk losing the trust of the communities they serve. This distrust undermines public safety, as victims and witnesses of crimes may be afraid to come forward. Moreover, the vilification of immigrants in public discourse fuels divisiveness, exacerbating societal tensions. For communities facing barriers due to race, language, or economic status, these policies signal exclusion.
Indeed, for many immigrant families, living in constant fear for their safety and security is their everyday reality with detrimental health implications. Research on chronic stress shows that prolonged exposure to fear has devastating effects on health and wellbeing, including the development of chronic illnesses, anxiety disorders, depression, and stress-related disorders. For immigrant youth, these effects are magnified. Research shows that children who experience parental separation or the threat of deportation are at increased risk for academic difficulties, behavioral problems, emotional trauma, and diminished physical health. A report by the Society for Research in Child Development highlights that such separations elevate the likelihood of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, behavioral problems, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress in U.S. citizen children.1 Additionally, research evidence shows citizen children exhibit significant psychological distress following parental detention and deportation.2 These findings underscore the profound impact that immigration enforcement policies have on the well-being of affected children.
Immigration policies not only have a profound impact on immigrant communities but also take a significant mental health toll on those responsible for enforcing them, including social service providers, law enforcement officers, border patrol agents, and the broader public. These individuals face immense stress, moral injury, and emotional exhaustion, highlighting the far-reaching consequences of immigration policies on society as a whole.3
The immigration executive order exacerbates the aforementioned risks by empowering state and local law enforcement to act as immigration officers under Section 287(g). ⁴ This results in communities living in constant fear – reluctant to report crimes, hesitant to seek healthcare, and unable to engage with public institutions due to threat of harm and retaliation. The psychological and social scars of past immigration policies already weigh heavily on the United States society, particularly among immigrant communities. While immigrants show remarkable resilience, policies like forced family separation, implemented under previous administrations, have caused deep and lasting trauma. A 2020 report by Physicians for Human Rights revealed that children separated from their parents showed signs of severe anxiety, nightmares, and developmental regression, while parents reported significant emotional distress, including depression and suicidal ideation. ⁵ These effects persist even after reunification, underscoring the enduring harm caused by policies that prioritize punishment.
Revoking policies aimed at inclusion and integration does more than erode trust—it demoralizes us as a nation, undermining our identity as a melting pot, while leaving immigrant communities more vulnerable and setting them up for failure. Without contextually and culturally appropriate resources, immigrant families are left to navigate a hostile environment with no safety net.
For asylum seekers and migrants waiting at the United States-Mexico border, the psychological health toll begins long before they set foot on the United States soil. Many have already fled hazardous and inhumane conditions, enduring physical and emotional hardships. The executive order’s provisions for “efficient removals” and stricter asylum criteria create a system in which hope is systematically dismantled. Also, the order’s emphasis on detaining and swiftly deporting individuals with precarious immigration statuses effectively shuts down access to the few vital support systems available to them. Detention centers, often overcrowded and poorly equipped, are not designed to address pressing physical and mental health needs. For immigrants who have already endured trauma—be it from violence in their home countries or the harrowing journey to the United States—the absence of healthcare access exacerbates their suffering.
"As a nation built on the promise of opportunity and refuge, the United States risks losing sight of its very identity when it turns its back on those seeking safety and a better life"
By eliminating pathways to temporary protection and restricting humanitarian parole, the policy leaves thousands of people in limbo. This state of uncertainty breeds despair, compounding the trauma these individuals carry. Without clear prospects for safety, many immigrants may feel forced to return to the dangerous conditions they fled, a decision that can have fatal consequences.
As a nation built on the promise of opportunity and refuge, the United States risks losing sight of its very identity when it turns its back on those seeking safety and a better life. Policies that criminalize desperation and weaponize fear do not make us safer; they undermine the core values that have long defined this country—opportunity, inclusion, and hope. In doing so, we also underestimate who sustains important pillars of our economy and contributes to the very foundation of our communities. The executive order’s emphasis on enforcement over compassion is not just a legal or political issue, it creates challenges that could impact us all, making it even more important to promoting dialogue aimed at finding balance, humane solutions, and safety for all people.
True immigration reform must go beyond enforcement and deterrence—it must offer comprehensive, sustainable solutions that address both the root causes of migration and the careful integration of those in need of safety. This requires international collaboration to improve conditions in migrants’ home countries, reducing the need for migration and dangerous journeys. It also means creating a pathway to temporary legalization that allows immigrants to continue making vital contributions to the United States economy while ensuring fair revisions to the current immigration system. Additionally, providing opportunities for integration—such as skill-building programs and workforce development—will empower immigrants to thrive and strengthen the United States’ communities they become part of so that everyone can benefit.
In the face of long-standing anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies that divide, we must choose dialogue over fear. The psychological and social damage inflicted by these measures reverberates throughout our society, challenging all of us to reconsider the values we claim to uphold. It is necessary to focus on the development and implementation of policies that reflect the best of who we are, not the worst of our fears.
Pierluigi Mancini PhD is the president and CEO of the Multicultural Development Institute. He is a national and international leader in mental health, addiction, and health equity. A sought-after speaker and consultant, he specializes in cultural and linguistic responsiveness, immigrant behavioral health, and eliminating health disparities. pierluigi@eldoctormancini.com
Luz Garcini PhD is the Director of Community and Public Health at the Kinder Institute of Urban Research, a faculty scholar at the Baker Institute, and an Assistant Professor in Psychological Sciences at Rice University. As clinical health psychologist and epidemiologist, she specializes in advancing community health for all people. lmg7@rice.edu
References
Society for Research in Child Development. (2018). The science is clear: Separating families has long-term damaging psychological and health consequences for children, families, and communities. Society for Research in Child Development. Retrieved from https://www.srcd.org/policy-media/statements-evidence
Shadid, O., et al. (2021). The mental health effects of migrant family separation. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 60(9), 1052–1055. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2021.04.002
Brooks, S. K., & Greenberg, N. (2022). Mental health and wellbeing of border security personnel: A scoping review. Occupational Medicine (Oxford, England), 72(9), 636–640. https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqac108
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (n.d.). Delegation of Immigration Authority Section 287(g) Immigration and Nationality Act. U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Retrieved March 3, 2025, from https://www.ice.gov/identify-and-arrest/287g
Physicians for Human Rights. (2020). “You will never see your child again”: The persistent psychological effects of family separation. Physicians for Human Rights. Retrieved from https://phr.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/PHR-Report-2020-Family-Separation-Full-Report.pdf
