Living through Forced Separation: The Lived Experiences of Latina Women Impacted By Parental Deportation

Background: The rising prevalence of deportations in the United States has led to the forced separation of many children from their parents, often without closure, resulting in a range of negative psychological and emotional outcomes. Children from mixed-status families—where one or both parents are undocumented—are particularly vulnerable, experiencing what scholars have termed “multigenerational punishment” and “intergenerational trauma.” Children not only endure the emotional toll of separation but also share in the risks and consequences of their parents' undocumented status, which can significantly affect their emotional development and life trajectories. Although the effects of deportation on children are well-documented, there remains a significant gap in research examining the long-term impact on adults who experienced parental deportation during childhood. To address this gap, the current study draws on ambiguous loss as a theoretical framework to explore how Latina women make sense of forced separation from their parents.

Methodology: Grounded in an interpretivist paradigm, the study utilized an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach to examine the lived experiences of nine Latina women, all U.S. citizens, who experienced the deportation of one or both parents during adolescence. Participants were recruited through snowball and purposive sampling within an agricultural community in California’s Central Valley. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews using a reflective interviewing technique. Each interview lasted approximately one hour and focused on participants’ childhood experiences with parental deportation. Data analysis included reading and rereading transcripts, making exploratory notes, generating experiential statements, and conducting cross-case analysis to identify emerging themes.

Results: The analysis revealed four main themes: (1) growing up feeling emotionally unstable; (2) assuming adult responsibilities at a young age; (3) experiencing detachment from parents; and (4) feeling placeless throughout development.

Discussion: These findings show the enduring emotional impact of forced separation, with trauma often persisting into adulthood among Latina women who experienced forced separation during childhood. The study emphasizes the importance of professionals working with Latina women affected by parental deportation to assess for trauma and provide appropriate, culturally responsive support. The study echoes the urgent need to advocate for family reunification among families that may have one family member undocumented.