The Mental Health of Documented Children of Undocumented Immigrants

Being a documented child of an undocumented immigrant can be stressful and frightening. There is stress due to worrying about bills and money even if they are just children. One is frightened because of the constant threat of having their parents deported, leaving them alone. The mental health of children of undocumented immigrants is glazed over quite frequently. These children deal with a lot of stress that no child should. Most parents try to shield their children from any hardships they are going through but many also have to warn their children of their hardships. They grow up faster than a normal child would. When they are legally able to work, they find a job and start working in order to help their parents with bills and rent. This can sometimes have them fall back on school work. Fortunately, there are programs out there that can help these children and families with any hardships they go through. These children can talk to a trusted school counselor, a support group etc., and have their feelings listened to.