WASHINGTON — Mental health professionals, migrant advocacy groups and researchers are raising concerns about the psychological impact of family separations at the U.S.-Mexico border, citing evidence that children and parents can experience lasting mental health consequences following separation and immigration detention.
The issue has received renewed attention following recent reports on conditions in U.S. immigration detention facilities and ongoing debates over border enforcement policies. Mental health experts interviewed by advocacy organizations and academic researchers have linked family separation, prolonged uncertainty and detention-related stress to increased risks of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress symptoms and other psychological conditions among migrants.
A systematic review published in the journal European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry found that immigration detention and related disruptions were associated with significant adverse mental health outcomes among children, including symptoms consistent with trauma and emotional distress. Researchers said the findings were consistent across multiple studies reviewed.
Health advocates said family separation can intensify those effects, particularly when children are separated from primary caregivers for extended periods or when communication between family members is limited. “Children require stable caregiving relationships for healthy development,” researchers noted in studies examining migrant and displaced populations.
The concerns come as U.S. immigration detention remains under scrutiny. A Reuters analysis published this week found that the death rate in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities has more than doubled since early 2025 compared with historical averages, while several deaths involved detainees with known medical or psychiatric vulnerabilities. Experts cited in the report raised questions about access to medical and mental health care in some facilities.
Federal authorities have said they are committed to detainee safety and the provision of medical services. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has previously stated that individuals in its custody receive access to health care, including mental health services, in accordance with agency standards. Details regarding the effectiveness of those services in individual cases remain disputed by some advocates and independent experts.
Researchers studying migration-related mental health issues have reported similar concerns in other regions. Recent studies involving migrant children and families in transit found elevated levels of psychological distress linked to displacement, uncertainty and separation from support networks.
Advocacy groups have called for expanded mental health services, greater family reunification efforts and alternatives to detention for children and families. Government agencies, meanwhile, continue to review border-management policies and detention practices.
As of Thursday, no major new federal policy on family separation had been announced. Public health researchers and migrant-rights organizations said they will continue monitoring the long-term mental health outcomes of affected families.
