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Immigration raids create emotional trauma for children For every two people detained in immigration enforcement operations, one child is left behind, according to a report by the National Council of La Raza. Two-thirds of the children are U.S. citizens and two-thirds are under age 10. The study found that workplace raids forced schools, child care providers and extended families to act swiftly as safety nets for the children. The vast majority of children left behind lost one parent in a raid; 17 percent of the children had both parents arrested. The children reported experiencing the emotional trauma from their parents’ sudden absence, often personalizing the cause of the separation and feeling abandoned or fearful that their parents could be abruptly taken away. Mental health experts noted that the raids led to depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, separation anxiety and suicidal thoughts in children. In light of this report, the National Council of La Raza has asked Congress to hold hearings as soon as possible regarding the status of children in the aftermath of immigration workplace raids. Source: “Immigration raids create economic distress and emotional trauma for children, new report finds,” October 31, 2007, http://www.urban.org.
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