Violence, Place, and Strengthened Space: A Review of Immigration Stress, Violence Exposure, and Intervention for Immigrant Latinx Youth and Families

Abstract

Latinx immigrant families are greatly impacted by US policies and practices that limit immigrant families’ and children's rights. This article reviews the effects of such policies and the growing literature examining migration experiences. Latinx immigrant youth and parents may encounter multiple stressors across the stages of migration, including physical and structural violence, fear, poverty, and discrimination, which contribute to higher rates of mental health problems in this population. Despite significant trauma exposure, immigrants demonstrate incredible resilience within themselves, their families, and their communities and through movements and policies aimed at protecting their rights. Numerous culturally relevant universal, targeted, and intensive interventions were developed to magnify these protective factors to promote healing, advance immigration reform, and provide trauma-informed training and psychoeducation. Psychologistsplay a crucial role in implementing, evaluating, and advocating for accessible and collaborative approaches to care so that Latinx immigrant families have the resources to combat the harmful sequelae of immigration stress.

Anti‐immigration policies of the trump administration: A review of Latinx mental health and resilience in the face of structural violence

“…(i.e., the “Latino Threat Narrative” where Latinx are “invading” and “stealing” from the majority culture; Chavez, 2013). However, rising restrictive local immigration policies (e.g., state law enforcement performing searches and investigations of unauthorized immigrants) subject many Latinx individuals to racial profiling and unfair practices, which has been associated with emotional distress (Ayón, 2020; Jolie et al., 2021; Torres et al., 2018). Similarly, recent studies report associations between timing of ICE raids and self‐reported health; that is, completing a survey after an ICE raid (vs. prior to an ICE raid) was associated with a significant decline in self‐reported health scores (Lopez et al., 2017).…”

“…President Trump also reinstated the 287 g memo, allowing local and state officers to investigate, arrest, detain and transport unauthorized immigrants living in border regions (Greene, 2018). However, it is important to note that landmark immigration reforms passed in the late 1990s (e.g., the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigration Responsibility Act of 1996 and the Personal and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996) paved the way for President Trump's restrictive and criminalizing immigration policies (Abrego et al., 2018; Jolie et al., 2021).…”

“…This ruling, known colloquially as the “Remain in Mexico” program, removed more than 68,000 migrants and asylum seekers from the U.S. border to await their immigration proceedings in Mexico (Kshatriya & Kang, 2019). Due to this policy, migrants affected by MPP lived in unsafe situations, exposed to victimization by drug cartels, unsanitary conditions, and limited access to humanitarian aid and health services (American Immigration Council, 2021; Jolie et al., 2021).…”

Latinx immigrants and complex layers of trauma: Providers’ perspectives.

“…People from Latin America often decide to migrate to the U.S. for several reasons including limited resources, political unrest, natural disasters, and exposure to violence in their country of origin (Jolie et al, 2021). Once in the U.S., Latinx immigrants continue to face adversity as they often experience economic hardship (Joint Economic Committee, 2019), difficulties obtaining employment (Valentín-Cortés et al, 2020), acculturative stress (Paat & Green, 2017), language barriers (Jolie et al, 2021), fear due to legal status (Paat & Green, 2017), and discrimination (Chavez-Dueñas et al, 2019). These stressors can lead to isolation (Peña-Sullivan, 2020), reduced use of social service programs (Valentín-Cortés et al, 2020), increase family conflict (Smokowski et al, 2008), and mental health symptoms (Peña-Sullivan, 2020).…”

“…In comparison to prior decades, Latinx immigrants originate from a diverse set of Latin American countries (Flores, 2017b) with a steady increase in migration from Central America (Babich & Batalova, 2021). People from Latin America often decide to migrate to the U.S. for several reasons including limited resources, political unrest, natural disasters, and exposure to violence in their country of origin (Jolie et al, 2021). Once in the U.S., Latinx immigrants continue to face adversity as they often experience economic hardship (Joint Economic Committee, 2019), difficulties obtaining employment (Valentín-Cortés et al, 2020), acculturative stress (Paat & Green, 2017), language barriers (Jolie et al, 2021), fear due to legal status (Paat & Green, 2017), and discrimination (Chavez-Dueñas et al, 2019).…”