Washington, D.C. – The health and well-being of Latinx children are under attack as a direct result of the damaging impact of anti-immigrant rhetoric and xenophobic policies championed by anti-immigrant politicians. A study published last week by the American Academy of Pediatrics and featured in CNN, exposes the heart-wrenching reality: Latinx children living in states promoting anti-immigrant policies are at significantly higher risks of experiencing mental and chronic physical health conditions throughout their lives.
The study makes clear the life-threatening health disparities that Latinx children – regardless of their own immigration status or that of their parents – experience when exposed to anti-immigrant policies. These findings are consistent with UWD’s 2021 UndocuHealth report which similarly found the toll that racist and xenophobic policies have on the mental health of immigrant youth.
Juliana Macedo do Nascimento, Deputy Director of Federal Advocacy of United We Dream, said:
“The harmful impact of racism and xenophobia on Latinx children is a stark reminder of the inhumanity displayed by anti-immigrant politicians. Despite this cruel reality, some politicians continue to promote xenophobic policies that target immigrants for their own political gain, while disregarding the life-threatening consequences these actions have on our children. These intentional, deadly outcomes are undeniable proof that white nationalism poses the greatest threat to our community’s health and well-being. It is crucial for Congress and the Department of Health & Human Services to investigate policies that harm immigrants, address these troubling health inequities, and hold those accountable for the irreversible damage they continue to cause for these Latinx children.”
