Immigration, Belonging, and Structural Resilience

Critical Insights for Activists

Detention and Lasting Trauma:: Immigration detention has a catastrophic impact on mental health, with symptoms persisting long after release.
The Perception of Redistribution:: Public support for social welfare is heavily influenced by misinformation regarding the economic role of immigrants.
Discrimination as a Health Determinant:: Perceived discrimination is directly linked to higher rates of major depressive disorder among US Latinos.
Stereotypes and Threatened Identity:: Stereotypes regarding Indigenous or Central American immigrants create a "threat" environment that limits resource access.

Global Perspectives:: Data is needed from non-Western democracies (e.g., Japan or South Africa) on racial classification and belonging.
The "Invisible" Immigrants:: A lack of longitudinal data on the mental health of immigrant women and children facing secondary stressors.

Alesina, A., Miano, A., & Stantcheva, S. (2023). Immigration and redistribution. *The Review of Economic Studies*, 90(1), 1-39.
Von Werthern, M., et al. (2018). The impact of immigration detention on mental health: a systematic review. *BMC psychiatry*, 18(1), 382.