Disrupting Immigrant and Pediatric Care

Dr. Chinnadurai summed it up: “The medical consequences of limited clinical access are difficult to quantify, but the underlying issue is clear: Fear restricts safe and timely engagement with the healthcare system. This leads to preventable delays in care, missed treatment, and an increased risk of adverse health outcomes, particularly for children with time-sensitive conditions.”

Impacts on Well-Being

Activity based on the current immigration policy not only affects patients’ physical health. Of the 1,805 immigrants who participated in the KFF/The New York Times 2025 Survey of Immigrants, 18% said that their child/ children have experienced at least one of the following impacts: problems sleeping or eating; changes in school performance or attendance; and behavior problems.

Since January 2025, there have been increased reports of children with severe anxiety due to fear of family separation and, with actual detainment, cases of emotional trauma in children. A July 2025 report published in the journal Psychiatric News cites research leading to the following conclusion: Immigration policy in the U.S. is a source of chronic fear, instability, and trauma for millions of immigrants, with the expansion of enforcement mechanisms transforming daily life for families and children (https://tinyurl.com/2estcu7p).

According to the cited research, the psychological and behavioral impacts among students affected by immigration enforcement include sleep disturbances, appetite changes, behavioral problems, heightened anxiety, depression, and symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder. Counseling for these youths is in short supply, especially for those without the insurance benefits to fund professional mental health support.

Overall, the mental health consequences of today’s immigration policy on children are even more difficult to isolate than those of physical health, Dr. Chinnadurai said, because they occur “within a broader context of instability. Many of the most vulnerable families are now living with profound social isolation, food insecurity, and disrupted access to education,” he said. “When delays in essential medical care are layered onto these stressors, the cumulative burden becomes unimaginable.

“Childhood is made by everyday adventures of making friends, learning, playing, and using one’s imagination to think of new and wonderful things, rather than imagining the danger outside your door,” he continued. “There is profound loss in taking that childhood away.”

Providing Care in a Challenging Environment

Healthcare providers are often called upon to do their jobs under difficult circumstances. Certainly, the challenges of caring for patients during the COVID-19 epidemic are fresh in most of their minds. However, in today’s unique climate concerning immigration and enforcement, they are clearly facing a uniquely daunting challenge. Moreover, the ability of healthcare systems, hospitals, and individuals to minimize the adverse effects of immigration policy on patients and families appears limited.