The American Psychological Association is urging congress to keep in mind the mental health needs of children when addressing current and future immigration policy. In a hearing earlier this week, Carola Suárez-Orozco, Ph.D. shared with lawmakers the APA’s recommendation of enforcing laws humanely. Previous studies found direct correlation between depression and anxiety levels in adolescents and the length of time they had been separated from one or both of their parents. Children whose parents had been detained in immigration authority raids showed marked changes in behavior, including anger, withdrawal, fear of authority, frequent crying, anxiety, and altered eating and sleeping patterns.
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