Family Separation Due To Immigration

Those living in the United States are familiar with family separation in regard to divorce, generations living in different households and the coronavirus as of late. Although immigration has always been a part of American history many fail to recognize the impacts it has on a family. 

There are various reasons why families are forced to separate. Sometimes it's a legal issue and other times a parent has decided that it is what's best for the family. There are four common forms of family separation related to immigration.

Parents Who Migrate Without Their Children

In this situation a parent will choose to migrate on their own to another country leaving their children behind to be cared for by others. The parent usually works to send money back to their family to help better the lives of their children. The remittances sent home by parents can increase consumption, finance schooling, buy health care and fund better housing.

Whether children benefit depends on their access to those extra resources, which may depend partly on sex, age and the context of care when left behind. The involvement of substitute care or the lack of care causes difficulties for some children's emotional well-being and psychological development. 

Children Who Migrate Without Their Parents

Children that are sent to another country on their own by their parents usually face the same difficulties as adult migrants. They are expected to pursue a good education while also working to save money to send back to their families. A term that is often used for the children that experience this is called, "Parachute Kids''.

This term mostly references children who have come to a new country as teenagers to either attend high school or college and stay with a host family. Some parents will have their child living in a separate country after months of being born. There are rare cases of parents who go to a different country to give birth and then leave their child to be raised by another family or a trusted guardian.

The parents who choose to do this hope that their children will work hard and establish themselves well enough to help their parents in the long-run. Independent migrant children are significantly affected by the absence of protection and support from their families, and by the challenges of their new situations after migration.

Parents Who Migrate With Only Some of Their Children

Some parents don't have the means to migrate their entire family with them so they choose to bring along either their oldest or youngest child. Bringing the oldest usually means they need the child to find a job so that they have dual income to save and send back to the rest of the family. Bringing the youngest usually entails that they need a child who will naturally adapt to a new country more easily and help navigate the cultural differences for the rest of the family.

Marginalization and discrimination in the country of settlement, barriers to accessing social services, challenges to the rights to citizenship and identity, parents' economic insecurity, and social and cultural dislocation may affect some children. Most young children who migrate with their parents usually flourish and become prominent members of their community.

Families Separated by the Government

Families that are able to come to another country together may experience separation due to the law or other government involvement. The most well known example of this is children who are taken by government officials at the Mexico-United States Border. In this situation, children and parents are in the same country but are still separated. This version of separation is outside of the family's control and it usually results in a traumatic experience. 

Although the situations mentioned above are the most common forms of family separation due to immigration there are still many different ways this happens. Each unique story comes with its own individual trials and tribulations. 

Learn more by reviewing the statistics and other noteworthy information regarding immigration.