Running head: ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

Illegal Immigration: Literature Review on the Separation of Families

Perla Lopez

University of Texas at El Paso

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Abstract
The purpose of this literature review is to understand how one becomes an illegal

immigrant, President Donald Trump’s views on illegal immigration, examines whether families

should be separated if caught illegally crossing the border, and the effects the separation has on

the children. For a better understanding of what the people think about this matter, a survey has

been conducted among the students in the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). This resulted

in the majority opposing on the separation of families and agreeing on the effects it can cause.
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Separation of Illegal Immigrant Families

For centuries the United States identifies as a country of opportunities, welcoming

everyone. People from all around the world come to the U.S. in search of better lives for them

and their children. Others to escape from the violence and danger that surrounds their country.

People try everything to come to the U.S. even to the point of crossing the border illegally.

Throughout the years, the government attempts to restraint illegal immigration, yet so many

people have successfully entered the United States. The Department of Homeland Security

reported that approximately 11.4 million people living in the United States as of 2012, entered

illegally (Johansen, 2013).

After the election of the current President, Donald Trump, the deportation of immigrants

has escalated and gotten stricter. The stance of President Trump created a major change in the

United States. He follows a “zero-tolerance” policy, that brought controversy across the whole

U.S., seen as immoral by many religious leaders (Reilly, 2018). Families caught crossing the

border illegally go through detention and separation. The children go to different facilities than

their parents and both undergo unfair situations. A problem has risen, the children no matter their

age go to tent camps or fenced spaces with no sense of the situation and not having anyone

familiar with them. In order to evaluate the dilemma, the following questions must be

considered:

1. How do people become illegal immigrants?

2. What is President Trump’s stance on illegal immigration?

3. Should children be separated from their parents if they are illegally crossing the border?

4. If children are separated from their parents how are they affected?
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With these questions one will be able to gain an in-depth knowledge of the separation of illegal

immigrant families and recognize the possible consequences within the separation of children

who experience separation from their parents.

How do people become illegal immigrants?

Illegal immigration occurs when an individual enters the United States without any

documents such as a visa, which are required to cross the border (Johansen, 2013). Although this

may sound as the only way to be an illegal immigrant, there are other ways. While others cross

the border without documents, there are some people who properly cross the United States

border with documents, but violate the stay. This is because they enter with visas that are only

for visits or education, letting the visas expire, they stay to live permanently in the United States.

Another way that people become illegal immigrants occurs when crossing the border with

fraudulent documents, whether using a fake document or a real document from another person.

Lastly, an individual that commits a crime after entering the United States is deported. Some

individuals fail to go back when deported therefore, becoming an illegal immigrant. In the

United States illegal immigration is immensely practiced, as the U.S. provides several

opportunities for those who cross, whether it is a job, education, and even the opportunity to

become a citizen. An estimate between 10 to 15 million people have crossed the border illegally.

Among those, 40 percent used fake documents, overstayed, or never left when deported while

the other 60 percent entered the United States undocumented (LeMay, 2015). Even though, most

of the people who illegally cross the border have good intentions, there has been problems

connected to the illegal immigrants. People stereotype illegal immigrants, connecting them with

crimes and violence. The current President, Donald Trump, seems to share those views about
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illegal immigrants and created his own policy in response to them, believing he is doing a good

tactic to improve the United States.

What is President Trump’s stance on illegal immigration?

As Donald Trump’s presidency began, he started making changes to the illegal

immigration policies. As a part of those changes, he passed an executive order improving the

security and immigration enforcement. President Trump’s purpose of this executive order is to

improve the national and public security of the United States. Illegal immigrants cross without

being identified or investigated by immigration officers, which can lead to the illegal immigrants

being criminals, bringing violence and danger to the United States. The executive order mentions

detaining all individuals who are crossing and have previously been denied of entering the U.S.

because of failure within the sanction or criminal sections when trying to enter the border legally.

As a way to improve the security, President Trump ordered to send more border patrol officials

to all the borders as stated in the executive order. To gain control over the illegal immigrants

crossing, President Trump has ordered to immediately detain the individuals and send them to

the appropriate detention center. Also, he removed the “catch and release”, which detained

illegal immigrants were released from the detention centers in a routine, stopping the federal

agents from releasing individuals right away (Order, 2017).

Likewise, he believes in a zero-tolerance policy, detaining everyone who decides to cross

the border illegally no matter the reason. According to Domonoske, a breaking news reporter for

the National Public Radio (NPR), the border officials are instructed to prosecute everyone

whether coming as a family or seeking asylum (Domonoske & Gonzales, 2018). The situation

has worsened for the families who are illegally crossing the border. President Trump approves of

the separation of families. Families caught illegally coming to the U.S. experience the worse
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nightmare of all, separation. While the parents are incarcerated, facing a federal misdemeanor,

the children with no charges go to a different place, a juvenile facility (Reilly, 2018).

Should children be separated from their parents if they are illegally crossing the

border?

With the rise of President Trump’s zero tolerance policy, many opinions developed some

of which oppose the ideas of President Trump and others who share the same views. There are

people who oppose the separation of families, instead they are in favor of an immigration policy

that prioritizes the unity of family. The survey conducted to UTEP students, demonstrated that

74% of them opposed the separation of families while the other 26% were in favor (Figure 1).

According to Gubernskaya, sociology professor at the University at Albany, State

University of New York, there are positive social and economic benefits if supporting the unity

of families. The situation of immigration motivates the families to perform better in their jobs by

fully using their skills and investing in education, that way they are capable of having better job

opportunities and higher income (Gubernskaya & Dreby, 2017). They want what is best for their

family, showing them that they are going to be fine by getting a job and being able to financially

provide for them. They went through a struggle when crossing the border, not finding

employment fast will not stop them, instead they work hard to get anything that can bring

whatever amount of money possible to their family. Yet, they look for a decent job, not entering

the easy path and committing crimes as many are stereotyped to take part of.

On the contrary, President Trump supporters are in favor of his zero-tolerance policy and

separation of families. They believe President Trump is following the law, enforcing

immigration laws that have been around for several years. The supporters have no problem with

the enforcement of family separations and they even blame the children’s parents for making
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poor choices, allowing their situation to worsen. Also, they want for the illegal immigrants to

make the proper decision by legally applying for a green card, that way the individual can legally

be part of the United States. That way they are not being detained and separated from their

families for breaking the law. In the Cable News Network (CNN) article, a 84-year-old

supporter, mentions that he encourages the separation of families as there can be bad people who

cross the border with children who they claim to be parents of, but in reality they are lying to

take advantage (Savidge & Smith & Grinberg).

If children are separated from their parents how are they affected?

Children who cross the border with their parents go through the hardest situations of all

when detained by the border patrol. Not only do they get separated from their parents, but they

are sent to facilities such as tent camps or fenced spaces. The living condition is inhuman; the

children sleep on the floor with only a blanket. Some get lucky and sleep on a thin rectangular

bedding. An average of 68% UTEP students, find the children living conditions inhumane and

unfair (Figure 1). Besides the sleeping conditions, the children experience loneliness. Nobody

familiar to the children is near and the people working within the facilities are instructed to not

engage with the children.

Children suffering from the separation of parents go through several challenges

throughout the time spent in the detention facilities and after the release. The children can

experience depression, performing low in academics, and problems with their behavior.

According to Gonzales, member of the School Community Journal, the children who are

separated from their parents due to illegal immigration are behind in school, many have to repeat

a school grade level because of interruptions within their schooling. The children are having a

hard time adapting to the new society. 72% of the UTEP students surveyed, concur with the
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statement (Figure 1). Also, several children dropout of school or are behind compared to their

peers since they go through emotional stress. (Gonzales, J. & Kula & Gonzales V. & Paik, 2017).

Family reunification sounds as a happy ending for the families who were separated, but it does

not seem to be that way. Videos have been spread across social media and news outlets, where

children of young age are reunified with their parents. The videos demonstrate how the children

are uncapable of recognizing their parents. Instead of running towards the parents for a simple

hug, they are running the opposite direction. As some children run away because they do not

recognize their parents, others runaway as they feel abandoned. The children do not understand

the situation, they spend time in the facilities thinking that their parents have abandoned them,

making them reject any affection when they are finally reunited with their parents. 84% (42) of

the UTEP students surveyed, agreed that children feel abandoned by their parents when

separated (Figure 1).

The effects on children has also been observed through studies within children who

experience family separation through secondary immigration enforcement. The children whether

they are illegal or legal immigrants are affected by the enforcement that is given to their parents

for being immigrants (Rabin, 2018). In this study, the young people who participated had similar

effects involving: irreplaceable parents, resilience and responsibility, and emotional toll. Many of

the youth were given the responsibility of taking care of other siblings or even their parents,

without having any say on whether they wanted to carry with that responsibility or not. Not only

is their responsibility about caring for their relatives, but also having financial responsibilities.

According to Rabin, Clinical Professor of Law at the University of Arizona, 21% of the

participants who were U.S. citizens plan on being a sponsor for their relatives when it comes to

their residency or citizenship application (Rabin, 2018). The author also mentions how the youth
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are being affected mentally. She states how 42% of the participants had acquired anxiety,

depression, and somatization. More specifically, from the 42% they all had high levels of

anxiety, eight of depression, and sixteen of somatization, a psychological distress (Rabin, 2018).

Also, UTEP students support this claim as 74% of them agreed that children are affected

psychologically (Figure 1).

Figure 1- UTEP students* views on the

separation of families
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Question 1 Question 2 Question 3 Question 4 Question 5
Yes No

*50 UTEP students were surveyed

Question 1: Do you agree with the separation of families?

Question 2: Do you think that the children feel abandoned by their parents when they are

separated?

Question 3: Do you think the situation the children are living in are unfair and inhumane?

Question 4: Do you think that the children are going to be affected psychologically?

Question 5: Do you think that the children will delay on adapting to society?
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Conclusion/Synthesis

In conclusion, the new presidency has brought a controversial topic within illegal

immigration. The zero-tolerance policy of President Trump created a separation between a vast

amount of illegal immigrant families. The country has been divided by two: the ones who are in

favor of President Trump and those who oppose his actions. Whether President Trump is

supported or not, the children are affected the most. Experiencing inhumane conditions at any

age of their childhood impacts their mental health. As for their future, they are presented with

challenges which may affect their emotions, academics, and behavior.

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References

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González, J. J., Kula, S. M., González, V. V., & Paik, S. J. (2017). Context of Latino Students’

Family Separation during and after Immigration: Perspectives, Challenges, and

Opportunities for Collaborative Efforts. School Community Journal, 27(2), 211–228.

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