Protecting unauthorized immigrant mothers improves their children’s mental health

• DOI: 10.1126/science.aan5893
• Publication Date: 2017-09-01T01:10:29Z
• Authors: Jens Hainmueller; Duncan Lawrence; Linna Martén; Bernard Black; Lucila Figueroa; Michael Hotard; Tomás R. Jiménez; Fernando Mendoza; Maria I. Rodriguez; Jonas J. Swartz; David D. Laitin
• Keywords: Male; Medicaid; Mental Disorders; Undocumented Immigrants; Child Health; Mothers; United States; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; Mental Health; Treatment Outcome; 0302 clinical medicine; Humans; Female; Child

The United States is embroiled in a debate about whether to protect or deport its estimated 11 million unauthorized immigrants, but the fact that these immigrants are also parents more than 4 U.S.-born children often overlooked. We provide causal evidence of impact parents' immigration status on health their U.S. citizen children. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program granted temporary protection from deportation 780,000 immigrants. used Medicaid claims data Oregon and exploited quasi-random assignment DACA eligibility among mothers with birthdates close age qualification cutoff. Mothers' significantly decreased adjustment anxiety disorder diagnoses Parents' thus substantial barrier normal child development perpetuates inequalities through intergenerational transmission disadvantage.