Although President Trump signed an Executive Order today terminating the separation of children from families when families have entered the United States illegally, it is important to recognize the harm that such a policy can have on children and their families. It is also important to recognize that more than 2000 children were reportedly separated from their families over the past six weeks and that issuing an Executive Order to terminate the program today does not alleviate the harm that has already occurred.

"The Arizona Psychology Association strongly opposes the separating of immigrant families. The negative long-term and societal costs of separating children from their primary care givers is well documented in psychological science. We admonish the federal government to find a better solution to keep immigrant children with their families. We call upon our membership to continue to heal, educate, and advocate for AZ communities in response to such atrocities. We invite our local policy makers and leaders to consult with us regarding the consequences of unjust practices and policies on the wellbeing of ALL Arizona communities. We encourage citizens of Arizona to join us in urging our leaders to respect and protect the wellbeing of children and families from needless suffering."

Statement of APA President Regarding the Traumatic Effects of Separating Immigrant Families

WASHINGTON - Following is the statement of APA President Jessica Henderson Daniel, Ph.D., regarding the deleterious impact on the health and well-being of children and families who are separated as they seek to enter the United States without proper documentation: 

“The administration’s policy of separating children from their families as they attempt to cross into the United States without documentation is not only needless and cruel, it threatens the mental and physical health of both the children and their caregivers. Psychological research shows that immigrants experience unique stressors related to the conditions that led them to flee their home countries in the first place. The longer that children and parents are separated, the greater the reported symptoms of anxiety and depression for the children. Negative outcomes for children include psychological distress, academic difficulties and disruptions in their development.

“The American Psychological Association calls on the administration to rescind this policy and keep immigrant families intact. We support practical, humane immigration policies that consider the needs of immigrants, and particularly immigrant families. We must adopt policies that take into account what we know about the harmful, long-term psychological effects of separation on children and their families. This is not an acceptable policy to counter unlawful immigration.”