Near Park Dale Lane Elementary in Encinitas on Wednesday morning, a child cried in her mother’s arms as federal agents arrested her father.
A new UC Riverside report said moments like this can have lasting consequences for children in immigrant and mixed-status families.
“Anxiety, stress, depression, even senses of hopelessness, mistrust, even suicidality in the course of that distress,” said Dr. Lisa Fortuna, a child psychiatrist at UC Riverside School of Medicine who co-authored the report.
She and her colleagues compiled clinical data and community-based trauma research on children across the country, from infants to teenagers. They found forced separation from a caregiver leading to infants regressing and not sleeping or eating well, school-age children struggling to focus in class. Even the threat of separation can result in chronic anticipatory anxiety for older children.
“What would they do if they were separated from their parents? Are they going to have to take a parental role? You know, and really sort of having a lot of distress and a lot more awareness,” Fortuna said.
At the San Diego Unified School District’s Newcomer Welcome Center, school counselor Juan Carlos Nieblaz said he sees the same patterns.
“I do feel there is an increase in stress and anxiety, and I feel a lot of it has to do with social media, what they see and view online,” Nieblaz said.
He works directly with students, connecting them with resources.
“We are in collaboration with agencies in the community and in the school where students can receive services, whether it be, mental health, or housing, or — you know — just simply seeking Medi-Cal,” he said.
Fortuna said those collaborations are crucial.
“What families are having to do is — if they're working with a counselor, or if they're working with schools — setting up plans. 'If we were separated, if something did happen, who would take care of you? What would happen? What would be our next step?'” she said.
She said while those conversations may be hard, avoiding them can be worse. Without support, the long-term effects can include PTSD.
For Nieblaz, who grew up in San Diego with immigrant roots, supporting students feels personal.
“I see myself a lot in these students and their families. I can connect with them because I've had similar experiences,” he said.
Even amid uncertainty, he said students are finding strength in each other and building their own networks of support.
“A lot of the students are in groups. They walk together or they're in community a lot of the times. They communicate with each other, they protect each other,” Nieblaz said.
Both Fortuna and Nieblaz agree children can’t be shielded from fear. But with teachers, families, and communities working together, they can be supported through it.
