The impact of deportation-related family separations on the well-being of Latinx children and youth: A review of the literature

Shifts in U.S. immigration policy over the past two decades have resulted in increased deportations of unauthorized persons residing in the United States. Given the current political climate concerning unauthorized immigrants, social workers must understand the influence of parental deportation on youth/adolescent psychosocial and academic wellbeing. This study reviews relevant empirical literature on the impact of forced family separations on child and youth wellbeing from 2000 to the present. Overall, these studies showed that family separation due to immigration enforcement had negative effects on child and youth well-being, specifically, mental health, psychosocial and academic outcomes. These findings, which have implications for both research and practice, suggest that more culturally-based interventions are needed to better serve the psychosocial and educational needs of youth who have experienced a forced family separation due to deportation.