Migrant Rights Violated: Families Divided by Trump Policy Remain in Limbo

 

In the spring of 2018, the Trump administration implemented its controversial “zero tolerance” policy aimed at deterring migration by criminally prosecuting unlawful border crossings and separating children from their parents. Even after being reversed, its effects continue to reverberate.

By the summer 2018, over 2,500 children had been separated from families under the policy. While a federal judge later ordered reunification, the process has been slow and complex. “Hundreds of kids still have not been reunited with parents,” says attorney Christie Turner-Herbas of KIND, assisting migrant children. “Some parents were deported without children. Some families chose reunification in their home country rather than risk children’s safety returning to Central America.”

For young children separated, trauma can be profound and long-lasting. Turner-Herbas describes separated children as “distraught,” with some blaming parents for abandoning them. Children previously exposed to home country violence were retraumatized. Mental health experts stress separation disrupts children’s natural sense of safety and trust, calling it potentially “irreparably harmful.”

Though separation under “zero tolerance” ended, impacts linger in the legal system. Some reunited families still face removal proceedings. Others remain in unsettled immigration proceedings, compounding trauma. For deported parents seeking children in the U.S., the path forward is unclear. “There are a lot of lasting effects,” says Turner-Herbas. “These parents and children endured significant trauma, and now they’re stuck in this holding pattern.”

For families, healing comes gradually. “When I first met mothers after reunification, they couldn’t talk for weeping,” Turner-Herbas recalls. “Now when I see them, we hug and sometimes laugh. But their legal situation hasn’t changed, even if emotionally, they’re starting to move forward.” Groups like KIND provide counseling and support, but harm runs deep. “This will affect generations,” Turner-Herbas warns. “It’s impacted parents’ ability to trust in children’s safety. For children, trauma will last a lifetime.”

While the Biden administration created a task force, the road ahead remains long. Lawsuits over the policy continue. Separated families face an uncertain future. “We haven’t seen a lot of action,” says Turner-Herbas. “The administration needs to prioritize this.” Trump’s separation policy casts a lasting shadow, with families’ recovery ongoing.