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Society for Social Work and Research 18th Annual Conference: Research for Social
Change: Addressing Local and Global Challenges
January 15 - 19, 2014

The Impact of Deportation On Children and Adolescents Development

Schedule:

Saturday, January 18, 2014: 11:30 AM

HBG Convention Center, Room 001A River Level (San Antonio, TX)

* noted as presenting author

Pilar Horner, PhD, Assistant Professor, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Jorge Delva, PhD, Professor, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, MI
Ramiro Martinez, WICIR Co-founder, Washtenaw Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights, Ann Arbor, MI
Laura Sanders, LMSW, WICIR Co-founder, Washtenaw Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights, Ann
Arbor, MI
Priscilla Cortez, MSW, Evaluator, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, MI

Purpose
Recent worldwide population changes reflected through migrations of populations from rural to urban
areas and from one country to another have increased the need to better understand their migratory,
health, and mental health experiences (Demeny, 2003).  Nowhere is this more critical than the
experiences of Hispanic children in the U.S. who due to increased anti-immigration legislation and
raids live in fear that they and/or their parents may face detention or deportation.  Children living in
fear of being separated from their parents through forced deportation, brutal force, or detention face
serious developmental problems. The purpose of this community-based participatory study was to
acquire in-depth understanding of the experiences of undocumented Hispanic children and children of
undocumented Hispanic parents.
Methods
The study is a partnership between University researchers and members of an educational and
advocacy grass-root organization, Washtenaw Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights (WICIR).
Twenty children/adolescents 11-18 years old and 10 parents participated in the study in 2012-2013.
Of the 20 youth, 17 participated in focus groups of 4-5 individuals lasting 1.5 hours. Focus groups
were conducted at a community agency or church basement. Three of the 20 youth completed face-to-
face interviews because they did not want to participate in the focus groups but wanted to share their
experiences. Youth were asked questions to elicit information about the stressors they face, coping
mechanisms, and sources of support, among others.  All youth completed the Youth Self Report (YSR)
measuring internalizing (e.g., depression) and externalizing (e.g., rule breaking) behaviors. Ten parents
participated in a 1.5-2 hour face-to-face interview that was conducted at their residences.  Data were
transcribed into WORD using Express Scribe, and analyzed with NVivo. YSR data were analyzed with
STATA. The study was funded by internal University resources and approved by the University’s IRB.
Results
Not surprisingly, parents and youth were found to be living in high-stress environments, and living in
post-traumatic stress like conditions.  Youth demonstrated various strategies for dealing with this
stress including: isolation, avoidance, political advocacy, and family based coping mechanisms. Age
and gender variations were noted and were found to vary across age. Younger children employed
simplistic and altruistic definitions of their coping mechanisms, while older children demonstrated
complex strategies for dealing with the threat of family deportation. In this presentation we will provide
examples of the families’ experiences with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the ways
by which the community partner in this study, WICIR, is helping undocumented families face these
challenges while engaging in extensive policy advocacy and education at the local, state, and national
levels.
Conclusions and Implications
These findings provide additional evidence that the particularly brutal neighborhood raids and
individual arrests, as well as other human rights violations (e.g., arrests without warrants, illegal
detentions, emotional threats) by ICE need to stop; a more humane immigration policy is needed.
Increased efforts are needed by social workers and allied groups to meet the critical mental health
needs of a young population that has been and continues to be traumatized by these experiences.

Back to: The Immigration Experience Among Youth and Adolescents

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Meeting Information

When:
January 15 - 19, 2014
Where:
San Antonio, Texas

Any questions?

Please contact:
DeeJay Garringo
Program Director
SSWR National Office
11240 Waples Mill Road, Suite 200
Fairfax, VA 22030
703-352-7797
703-359-7562 fax
info@sswr.org

SOCIETY FOR SOCIAL WORK AND RESEARCH

11240 Waples Mill Road, Suite 200, Fairfax, VA 22030
703-352-7797 I 703-359-7562 Fax
info@sswr.org I www.sswr.org