Giving Compass' Take:

• Urban institute finds that immigrations cancers are preventing adult immigrants from participating in routine activities. 

• How can funders work to ensure that immigration enforcement does not interfere with productivity? 

• Learn how immigration policies contribute to absenteeism. 

Changes in federal immigration policies and heightened immigration enforcement over the last several years have caused fear and insecurity for many immigrant families across the country. In addition to stories of rising fear among families reported in the press, several studies have documented evidence of widespread anxiety and instability among immigrant families and children. A recent Urban Institute study shows that nearly one in seven adults in immigrant families report that they or a family member did not participate in a noncash government benefit program in 2018 for fear of risking future green card status as the administration considered changing rules for “public charge” determinations. Beyond avoiding participation in public programs, many immigrant families may be changing how they go about their daily lives. Reports show immigrant families increasingly avoiding routine activities, such as interacting with teachers or school officials, health care providers, and the police, which poses risks for their well-being and the communities in which they live.

We find the following:

  • About one in six adults in immigrant families (17.0 percent) reported that they or a family member avoided activities in which they could be asked or bothered about citizenship status during 2018. The activities avoided most were those that risk interaction with police or other public authorities, such as driving a car (9.9 percent), renewing or applying for a driver’s license (9.0 percent), and talking to the police or reporting crime (8.3 percent). Other avoided activities included going to public places, like parks, libraries, or stores (7.8 percent); visiting a doctor or clinic (6.3 percent); using public transportation (5.8 percent); and talking with teachers or school officials (4.7 percent).
  • About one in three adults in immigrant families with a more vulnerable visa and citizenship status—where one or more foreign-born relatives in the household do not have a green card (i.e., are not permanent residents) or US citizenship—reported that they or a family member avoided at least one routine activity. Meanwhile, over one in nine adults in families where all foreign-born family members have green cards or US citizenship reported this behavior.
  • Among adults in immigrant families, Hispanic adults were nearly three times more likely (24.2 percent) than non-Hispanic white adults (8.5 percent) to report avoiding some activities.
  • Controlling for observable characteristics, adults in immigrant families who avoided at least one activity were also more likely to report serious psychological distress