Study: Children Suffer Hardship, Mental Health Problems after Immigration Raids

WASHINGTON — Children of various ages have suffered long-term economic hardships and psychological damage after federal immigration raids over the past year, a study released Wednesday found.

The mental health problems included depression, separation anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicidal thoughts, said the report by the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic civil rights organization, and the Urban Institute, a think tank that studies minority groups.

The report looked at the impact of three large raids over the past year — in Greeley, Colo., Grand Island, Neb., and New Bedford, Mass. — where federal officials arrested more than 900 suspected illegal immigrants at work sites. Those arrested had more than 500 children.

The children were mostly U.S. citizens and included "the youngest and most vulnerable in our society — infants, toddlers and preschoolers," the report said.

The people arrested were usually the primary bread winners in the family, leading to "severe financial insecurity," and the families were generally afraid to go to state or private agencies to ask for assistance, the report said.

Many parents arrested were afraid to tell police that they have children because they believed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement would arrest their children, the report said.

Following the raids, "many families hid in their homes — in some cases basements or closets — for days and weeks on end."

It also said that imprisoned immigrants had limited access to telephones to communicate with their families, a charge that federal officials dispute. Many were moved to remote detention facilities in other states, making it more difficult to make arrangements for their children, the report said.

Rosa Maria Castaneda, one of the report's authors, said many of the children showed symptoms of emotional distress after one or both parents were arrested.

Nearly all children interviewed had experienced some behavioral changes after the raids, ranging from aggressive behavior and exaggerated mood swings to social isolation and feelings of despair, she said.

Kelly Nantel, a spokeswoman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said that detainees always have access to telephones, consular offices and legal counsel.

In addition, she said that federal agents are doing their job — arresting people who break the law, including identity theft.

"We have a mandate to enforce the nation's immigration laws," she said.

Nantel also said the report failed to address that the illegal immigrant parents are responsible for putting their children in a harmful situation.

The report was based on interviews with children, parents, employers, lawyers, religious leaders, community leaders, nonprofit agencies and others. It made several recommendations to improve the care of children after immigration raids, including that Congress provide oversight of immigration enforcement activities to ensure that children are protected.

It also recommends that single parents and primary caregivers of young children who are arrested during a raid be released early enough in the day so that their children do not experience disruptions in care.

The report also found:

— On the day of the raids, school districts were effective in ensuring that children were not dropped off to empty homes or left at school overnight, but some children walked to empty houses.

— Some adolescents were left in the company of other teenagers for days and even weeks. Some younger children remained in the care of baby sitters for weeks or months.

— The local governments and communities where the raids occurred did not have adequate resources to deal with children's needs in the aftermath of the raids.

On the Web:

The Urban Institute: www.urban.org

National Council of La Raza: www.nclr.org