The Context of Migration, Detention, and Integration of Latinx Youth in the United States

Dr. Jodi Berger Cardoso, PhD, LCSW. From October 2018 to April, 2019, the U.S. Border Patrol has apprehended 44,779 unaccompanied minor youth and 248,197
family units (children with a parent). In April, these numbers are higher than the total for fiscal years 2017 and 2018. Nearly 90% of children and families are coming from the Northern Triagle Region of Central America (El Salvador, Honduras, and
Guatemala), where gang and state-sponsored violence, extreme poverty, environmental crises, and lack of opportunity have made it unsafe to remain in these countries. Once in the U.S., these children and families face many extreme hardships, including detention and lack of access to adequate legal representation, health care and mental health treatment. In this presentation, I present data on the context of migration and detention of immigrant youth from the Northern Triangle; use evidence to suggest the prevalence of mental health problems (e.g.,  post traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation) and factors that contribute to these negative health outcomes; and discuss the effects of immigration enforcement on Latinx family well-being and on youth indicators of integration, like education.

Date: 12/06/2019
Time: 12:00 h 
Place: 20.183 (Jaume I Building)