In collaboration with the Latinx Immigrant Health Alliance (LIHA), United We Dream launched a new mental health report surveying over 600 undocumented youth and adults over the span of 10 months to best understand how our community’s health and wellbeing were impacted during COVID-19, in addition to the continued attacks from the Trump administration, the constant threat of detention and deportation, and a lack of action by the Biden administration.
Overall, participants reported clinical levels of depression, anxiety and global severity, which was exacerbated by their undocumented status and the looming threat of detention and deportation. Some additional findings from the report include:
- Over 52 percent of respondents were in the clinical range for depression. Roughly 50 percent were in the clinical range anxiety.
- Undocumented people, including those with DACA,reported significantly higher distress related to immigration status than those with permanent residency or U.S citizenship.
- Nearly 30% of respondents reported that a loved one has been deported or is currently facing deportation proceedings.
- Over 62 percent of respondents reported that their emotional health and wellbeing had been personally affected by COVID.
