In the shadow of political posturing and enforcement quotas, a silent tragedy unfolds every day in the U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids homes, workplaces and even community spaces, leaving children in the wake of their parents’ abrupt and often unexplained detention.
These separations are not just logistical inconveniences; they are acts of profound harm — wounds that, though invisible, may never fully heal.
Take the case of Beverly Juarez. The soft-spoken 21-year-old suddenly became the sole caretaker for her three younger siblings after her parents — both law-abiding people here in the U.S. for 20 years — were deported.
Or consider six-year-old Gabriela Pineda, left in limbo after her mother was detained at an ICE office. She is now living with her mother’s fiancé, whom she barely knows.
These are not isolated stories — they represent a national crisis, where the very fabric of family life is being unraveled.
Unlike the Trump administration’s first term, when families were separated at the border, the current wave of actions often leaves children abandoned in their schools, homes or even on the street. Many end up in foster care or with distant relatives; others risk homelessness or entanglement with the juvenile justice system.
Immigrant children themselves are being swept up in schools — in some districts, they are afraid to show up and are missing critical educational experiences.
All this is happening to meet an arbitrary goal toward the mass deportation of 15 million immigrants, which would amount to about 3,000 each day.
Because only a small fraction are criminals — in fact, immigrants commit significantly fewer violent crimes than those born in the U.S. — ICE has resorted to detaining law-abiding residents, many of whom have deep roots in their communities and children who depend on them.
Adding injury to insult, the administration is slashing our social safety net, cutting programs that would otherwise support these children. Legal representation, housing and food assistance, resettlement resources and medical care are falling by the wayside, compounding an already untenable situation.
The economic costs of this approach will be staggering. From child welfare services to mental health care and even the juvenile justice system, the ripple effects of these draconian measures will demand resources far beyond what could have been saved through a more humane approach to immigration.
But the real cost cannot be measured in dollars and cents. It is seen in the faces of traumatized children, their futures forever altered.
Science tells us that this type of trauma during childhood is not fleeting. The stress of parental separation during formative years can disrupt the development of a child’s brain and body, leading to long-term behavioral, emotional and even physical health issues.
Children may regress to earlier developmental stages, have trouble learning and struggle with anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation. And they face increased risks of academic failure, delinquency and substance abuse. In the long term, the effects of such childhood adversity are linked to chronic illnesses, from diabetes and heart disease to cancer.
The U.S. has long championed the sanctity of the family, recognizing it as the cornerstone of both individual well-being and societal stability. As Ronald Reagan eloquently stated, “It is the power of the family that holds the nation together … that serves as the cradle of our country’s soul.”
Yet, with each separation, we betray that principle, inflicting trauma on the most vulnerable among us.
As a society, we must ask ourselves: What kind of nation do we wish to be? Consider what the acceptance of these tactics indicates about the values guiding a nation.
Policies that tear families apart in the name of enforcement quotas are neither efficient nor humane. They erode trust in institutions, foster fear in communities and undermine the very values we claim to uphold.
The solution is not complicated: We need immigration policies that prioritize human lives over politics. Families must be kept together, and children’s safety, health and well-being should be paramount. The resources currently wasted on punitive actions could be redirected toward programs that support integration and stability, fostering stronger communities and a more prosperous society.
The images of children crying for their parents, alone and confused, should haunt us. They are not collateral damage — regardless of their circumstances, most Americans have an ingrained desire to care for the young. It is time to demand policies that reflect the ideals we profess: compassion, dignity and a commitment to the future.
Let us not look back years from now and ask ourselves how we allowed this to happen. Let us act now to ensure that every child, regardless of their background, is given the chance to grow up in safety and love.
This is not just an immigration issue; it is a test of our collective humanity. And we cannot afford to fail.
Diana Fishbein, Ph.D. is a senior neuroscientist at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, a part-time researcher at Penn State University and President of the National Prevention Science Coalition to Improve Lives.
