Center for Racial Justice Postdoctoral Fellow Kristina Fullerton Rico explores what she calls the dangerous implications of President Trump's deprtation policy in an essay in The Conversation.
Citing extensive social science research on U.S. immigration policy and deportation, Fullerton Rico establishes ways in which deportation can negatively impact the lives of immigrants and their families. She states that, "Deporting immigrants often separates individuals from their families, exiles them to countries that don’t feel like home, and leaves them poor, with few job prospects." Fullerton Rico adds, "Immigrants who are deported also face social stigmas that lead to further isolation and mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and risk of suicide."
Additionally, Fullerton Rico argues that deportation and separation can have detrimental impacts on U.S. citizens, especially U.S.-born children of immigrant parents. In "some cases, mixed-status families feel pressure to leave the U.S. together if one family member is deported" and this is called "de facto deportation."
The fear of deportation, Fullerton Rico says, is likely disproportionate to the risk of being deported. Nonetheless, the overwhelming threat is causing immigrants to reconstruct their lives. "In some cases, immigrants are keeping their children home from school. Others avoid going to doctor’s appointments or delay going to the hospital," Fullerton Rico noted. Also, the collaboration between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities makes immigrants less likely to report dangerous conditions at work. "Even in cities where local law enforcement agencies refuse to work closely with ICE, the perception that they might be creates fear in immigrant communities and leads people to underutilize public programs and services," she concludes.
Read the complete essay here.
