Migrant Mental Health

Worldwide, over 65 million persons are currently displaced by war, armed conflict, or persecution, the majority of whom are in low- and lower-middle income countries.1

Definitions

  • Migrant: A person who leaves his/her country of origin to seek temporary or permanent residence in another country.2
  • Immigrant: Any person lawfully in the United States who is not a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or person admitted under a nonimmigrant category as defined by the INA Section 101(a)(15).3
  • Refugee: Status granted to an individual, prior to departure for and arrival in the United States, who has been determined by competent authority to be fleeing persecution or have a well-founded fear of persecution in their own country because of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion.4
  • Asylee: a person who meets the definition of refugee and is already present in the United States or is seeking admission at a port of entry.5

Content

According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, refugees are required to apply for Lawful Permanent Resident (“green card”) status one year after being admitted, and asylees may apply for green card status one year after their grant of asylum.6

It is estimated that 11.3 million undocumented immigrants currently live in the United States, a quarter of the U.S. foreign-born population.7 Texas has one of the largest populations of Latinx immigrants, along with California, Florida, New York, and Illinois.8

Regardless of means of immigration, the trauma and violence many people, especially asylum seekers and refugees, face before, during, and after migration should be acknowledged.9 This trauma can often manifest as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, substance use, and depression.10 Many immigrants experience extreme poverty and violence, which increases their risk for depression.11 Many people who are undocumented may delay or forgo mental health care altogether out of fear of detainment or deportation.12

According to SAMHSA, there are other barriers for immigrants seeking mental health services, including:

  • Being unaware of publicly funded medical assistance;
  • Being hesitant to use public benefits in fear that disclosing personal information will increase their risk of deportation; and
  • Limited access to translation services, transportation, and education.13

Additionally, recently proposed state-level legislation may increase barriers and altogether bar people who are undocumented from accessing social services and public education, further exacerbating these mental health concerns. Researchers have yet to fully determine the full mental health impacts of increased anti-immigrant sentiment across the country.14 However, immigrants in states with more restrictive immigration policies report experiencing more discrimination than immigrants in states with less restrictive immigration policies.15

References

  1. Song, S. & Teichholtz, S. (n.d.) Mental health facts of refugees, asylum-seekers, & survivors of forced displacement. American Psychiatric Association. Retrieved on December 28, 2023 from https://www.psychiatry.org/File%20Library/Psychiatrists/Cultural-Competency/Mental-Health-Disparities/Mental-Health-Facts-for-Refugees.pdf  ↩︎
  2. Office of Homeland Security Statistics. (2024). Reporting terminology and definitions. U.S. Department of Homeland Security. https://www.dhs.gov/ohss/about-data/glossary#8 ↩︎
  3. Ibid.  ↩︎
  4. Ibid. ↩︎
  5. Office of Homeland Security Statistics. (2024). Refugees and asylees annual flow report. U.S. Department of Homeland Security. https://www.dhs.gov/ohss/topics/immigration/refugees-asylees-AFR  ↩︎
  6. Ibid.  ↩︎
  7. Ornelas, I.J., Yamanis, T.J., & Ruiz, R.A.  (2020). The health of undocumented Latinx immigrants: What we know and future directions. Annual Review of Public Health, 41(1), 289-308. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040119-094211 ↩︎
  8. Ibid. ↩︎
  9. Ibid. ↩︎
  10. Turcios, Y. (2023, March 28). Supporting mental health of immigrant women [Blog]. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. https://www.samhsa.gov/blog/supporting-mental-health-immigrant-women#:~:text=During%20migration%2C%20the%20risk%20of,)%2C%20depression%2C%20and%20anxiety%20%5C  ↩︎
  11. Ornelas, I.J., Yamanis, T.J., & Ruiz, R.A.  (2020). The health of undocumented Latinx immigrants: What we know and future directions. Annual Review of Public Health, 41(1), 289-308. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040119-094211 ↩︎
  12. National Alliance on Mental Illness. (n.d.) Hispanic/Latinx immigrants and first-generation Americans. Retrieved January 2, 2024 from https://www.nami.org/Your-Journey/Identity-and-Cultural-Dimensions/Hispanic-Latinx/Hispanic-Latinx-Immigrants-and-First-Generation-Americans  ↩︎
  13. Turcios, Y. (2023, March 28). Supporting mental health of immigrant women [Blog]. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. https://www.samhsa.gov/blog/supporting-mental-health-immigrant-women#:~:text=During%20migration%2C%20the%20risk%20of,)%2C%20depression%2C%20and%20anxiety%20%5C ↩︎
  14. World Health Organization. (2021). Mental health and forced displacement. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-and-forced-displacement ↩︎
  15. Gurrola, M.A. & Ayón, C. (2018). Immigration policies and social determinants of health: Is immigrants’ health at risk? Race and Social Problems. 10, 209–220. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12552-018-9239-z ↩︎

Updated on December 12th, 2024



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