Seminar examines how heightened enforcement measures fuel fear among undocumented and mixed-status communities.
The Psychology Department’s recent Toro Talk highlighted a growing concern on campus: how the current climate toward immigration status is driving mental-health challenges among undocumented and immigrant students.
In recent months, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has significantly increased the number of people it detains and deports, targeting individuals the agency says are living in the country without legal status.
The agency has also expanded its authority to hold and remove people with green cards, visas, humanitarian parole, or other legal forms of status.
The American Psychological Association reports the United States is home to 46 million immigrants—about 14% of the nation’s total population. Many arrive on work or student visas, while others come after journeys shaped by exploitation, violence, family separation, and long waits at borders or in detention centers.
Regardless of how they arrive, these stressors—fear for their safety, limited control over their immigration status, and uncertainty about the future—put many at higher risk for mental-health difficulties.
At CSUDH, Immigrant Justice Center (IJC) provides several support systems and workshops to help students navigate these challenges.
“The number one thing that I always like to advertise is the free immigration legal services that we offer to students, staff, faculty, and immediate loved ones,” said Arlin Gonzalez, IJC program director. “They have access through the Central American Resource Center, and they can get support in different areas such as DACA renewals, family petitions, adjustments of status, or even initial consultation.”
Gonzalez estimates that there are approximately 400 undocumented students enrolled at CSUDH this year. To support them, the IJC offers one-on-one advising to help them better understand financial aid, how to advocate for themselves, prepare for graduate school, and access wellness resources.
“The stressors come from different angles,” Gonzalez explained. “The fear of ICE detaining someone or encountering ICE is very prominent. But also, as a result of their status, they often don’t have the same access to resources that we may take for granted as U.S. citizens—like health insurance, financial aid, or loans.”
Students’ fear of immigration enforcement is closely related to increased symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress, according to the Center on Depression and Resilience at the University of Illinois Chicago.
“A lot of it is fear of deportation and surveillance,” said Candice Bangura, executive director of health and wellbeing at CSUDH. “It’s hard to put into words what folks are going through because even if it’s not directly you who is being deported, there’s fear around that happening to a family member or someone you love.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that refugees and migrants can experience anxiety, sadness, hopelessness, difficulty sleeping, irritability, and other physical symptoms of stress. While some of these reactions improve over time, others can develop into long-term mental-health conditions.
“We’re seeing an increase in generalized anxiety disorder, which is a chronic condition characterized by excessive, persistent worry about everyday things that are difficult to control,” said Norma Quintero, a licensed psychologist at CSUDH.
Quintero said there has also been a rise in acute stress disorder, a short-term trauma response that can appear within a month and involve intrusive memories, avoidance, and intense anxiety. She added that many of the cases she’s seen began after ICE ramped up enforcement in Los Angeles this past summer.
“We’ve also seen an increase in major depressive disorders, which is persistence, sadness, hopelessness, and a loss of interest or pleasure in activities that can significantly affect daily life,” she said.
Other WHO studies show that conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and suicidal thoughts are more prevalent among refugees and migrants than among host populations.
“This is a tough time in general right now because there is such a war against undocumented immigrant students,” Bangura said. “The whole year has troubled them in ways that are insurmountable because we haven’t even seen the full impact.”
Refugee and migrant mental health is shaped by many factors, Gonzalez said, adding that community support, access to services, and meeting basic needs can all influence students’ well-being.
“Students being able to connect with others has been really helpful,” Gonzalez said. “Knowing that there’s support out there can be helpful. It’s something that’s visible.”