Este resumen sintetiza los hallazgos de un único estudio de investigación, Examining Deportation and Detention-Related Separation and Youth Risk and Protective Factors and Well-Being.

Latino children are a growing demographic in the U.S., with one in four having at least one caregiver who is undocumented, putting the family at high risk of separation due to immigration-related detention or deportation. Family separations are considered adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), yet the traumatic impacts of deportation-related separations on children are largely unstudied. This study examines well-being among Latino youth who have lost a caretaker, comparing outcomes for those separated due to deportation, other reasons (such as parental divorce or incarceration), and those with no resulting family separation.

• The majority of caregivers were born in Mexico (71%), and Spanish was the primary language spoken in the home (61%).
• Of the 194 surveyed youth, 42% reported a history of caregiver separation, of which 13% were deportation-related separation. 58% of the youth surveyed reported no separation.
• Compared to youth with no caregiver separation, youth separated due to deportation were:
  • 17 times more likely to have thought about running away, and four times more likely to experience suicidal ideation.
  • 68% less likely to have at least one trusted adult in their lives, and 70% less likely to have daily meals with family.
  • 70% less likely to have a role model.
• Compared to youth with no caregiver separation, youth experiencing separation for any other reason were 56% less likely to have a role model and 78% less likely to be in school.

Supporting the well-being of all children is essential to child welfare practice, which includes ensuring that circumstances specifically harming Latino children are addressed. This requires recognizing and responding to the trauma caused by deportation-related family separations, which this study found to be uniquely detrimental to Latino children’s well-being. Despite its serious impacts, deportation-related trauma is rarely tracked or addressed within child welfare systems or the ACEs framework. Implementing trauma-informed and culturally responsive approaches that address the impacts of deportation-related separation is essential to promoting safety, stability, and well-being of affected Latino children. More research is needed to fully understand both the immediate and lasting effects of deportation and detention on Latino child development.