Muriel Casamayor’s phone hasn’t stopped ringing since Donald Trump won the presidential election last week.
As a licensed therapist who treats undocumented people and other immigrant populations, Casamayor is hearing daily from those terrified by Trump’s promise to, “launch the largest deportation program in American history.”
“There’s a lot of fear, a lot of uncertainty, a lot of anxiety,” she said.
Studies show that undocumented immigrants have higher levels of stress and anxiety because of their lack of legal status. Many immigrants with legal status, such as permanent residents or naturalized citizens, also suffer from psychological distress connected to anti-immigrant rhetoric.
Trump’s victory only intensified those stressors, Casamayor said. Her advice is to not shy away from those feelings.
“Right now, it’s OK to feel rage,” she said. “It’s OK to feel anxious, it’s OK not wanting to go to school for the day or maybe taking some time off from work.”
Casamayor encourages patients to channel those feelings into something positive or productive.
“Allow yourself, in a safe space, to express how you are feeling and process that in community,” she said. “Because that’s what we have, at the end of the day, a community to lean on.”
The impacts of Trump’s calls for mass deportations won’t be limited to undocumented immigrants. There are more than 4 million U.S.-citizen children who live with at least one undocumented parent, according to data from the American Immigration Council.
Advocates use the term, “mixed-status,” to describe families made up of people who have different immigration status. Mass deportations threaten to separate those families.
Adriana Jasso, an immigrant rights activist based in San Diego, said she’s already heard from children afraid for their undocumented parents.
“We did get phone calls of children who refused to eat during the day,” she said. “They were not feeling up to going to school and were asking their parents, 'what’s the point?'”
Like Casamayor, Jasso also said people should find comfort with supportive friends or relatives.
“When we come together as a community, there are ways to overcome the fear and anxiety,” she said.
When it comes to seeking help, Casamayor suggested immigrants connect with therapists who understand the specific issues they are facing.
Organizations like Immigrants Rising set up a “Mental Health Connector” program that helps undocumented students find qualified therapists to talk to.
