Urban Institute Report: Health and Social Service Needs of US-Citizen Children with Detained or Deported Immigrant Parents
Abstract
Between 2003 and 2013, the US government deported 3.7 million immigrants to their home countries, over 90 percent of whom were unauthorized immigrants from Mexico or Central America. According to the most reliable estimates, parents of US-born children made up between one-fifth and one-quarter of this total. Prior research suggests that families and children experience significant emotional and financial hardship when a parent is deported.
Key Findings
1 . Children Experienced a Number of Harms following a Parent’s Detention or Deportation
2. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Took Actions Intended to Red uce Harm to Children with Parents in Custody
3 . Children with Detained or Deported Parents Had Difficulty Accessing Conventional Health, Mental Health, Early Education, and S ocial Services
4 . Diverse State and L ocal Organizations Developed Promising Approaches to Better Meet Children’s Needs
Conclusion
President Obama’s November 2014 Immigration Accountability Executive Action included a proposal to extend work permits and temporary deportation stays to approximately 3.7 million parents with US-citizen or legal permanent resident children. In February 2015, a federal court issued an injunction against these elements of the executive action, and as of June 2015, when this report was written, the new policy had not yet gone into effect. Until appeals of this injunction are resolved unauthorized immigrant parents of US citizens and legal permanent residents remain subject to deportation , and the concerns artic ulated in this report remain relevant. Even without more deportations, nearly one million children have already had a parent deported, and these children remain at risk for adverse outcomes. The findings from this study suggest a number of ways to provid e services and reduce harm to children with detained and deported parents. First, health and human service agencies could improve their staff’s language capacity, cultural competence, and knowledge of issues associated with immigration status. Another approach involves building bridges between health and human services agencies and informal local organizations that immigrants trust . Coordination among the key agencies (ICE, social service agencies, and foreign country consulates) is critical, especially for the provision of child welfare services. Leadership is important, as high – level contacts yield stronger coordination and service delivery. Finally, small organizations implement many promising strategies to serve children with detained and deported parents. These organizations, however, often face limited resources and high staff turnover. Institutionalizing such strategies would provide a stronger safety net for these children and families in need.
KJ