How immigration enforcement is affecting Philly Latinos’ mental health

Multiple factors affect the mental health of immigrants, including socioeconomic conditions, access to health care, geographical barriers, and language restrictions.

But living in a country where the federal government is pushing hostile rhetoric against immigrants — making pathways to immigration harder — adds a layer of concern that has a strong impact on mental health in the Latino community.

Since President Donald Trump returned to the Oval Office in January 2025, immigration enforcement has turned into an almost dystopian nightmare — sharing graphic videos on official government social pages of people who’ve been detained, prioritizing expedited deportations at the expense of due process, and continuously funding the Department of Homeland Security despite its controversial use of power that has led to the deaths of innocent people.

At the end of the day, hardworking people end up paying the price.

Rocío Luna, a mother of five who has lived in Philadelphia for 18 years, recently had to prepare her children on what to do if she doesn’t return home. She said she taught them emergency numbers and how to contact the Mexican Consulate in Philadelphia and family members, in case anything happens.

“What worries me the most is to leave and not come back, lose contact with my children more than anything, as we don’t know how long one might be detained,” Luna said. “Sometimes I don’t even turn the news on because, to be honest, the way they talk about us, about Latine people without status, is worrisome because they make one feel like less, less than another human being.”

Mental health stress

The increase in anti-immigrant speeches and discrimination has led Latino immigrants to avoid using health care services, especially among non-citizens. That adds another obstacle when struggling with mental health.

The rhetoric used by the federal government impacts everyone in the community, said David Heayn-Menendez, mental health campaign senior adviser for communications at Children First. But, he added, it particularly affects people who carry any level of risk, such as non-citizens, mixed-status families and those without access to insurance.

“We are creating greater mental health stress at the same time as we are making it so that both undocumented and citizens are fearful of what it means to share with institutions that are meant to help us,” Heayn-Menendez said. “That means not going to the hospital or not talking to the school to get help.”

Belligerent approaches to immigration enforcement increase levels of stress, anxiety and anger among immigrant families.

The presence of agents near schools, health care facilities, churches, and places that used to be considered “protected spaces” creates a sense of insecurity and danger that can disturb people’s lives.

Pamela Plata, founder and director of Folkloric Dance Tonantzin, said some of her students stopped attending their dance classes because they feared immigration agents would be in the area.

“There are a few small girls who have that fear,” Plata said. “There are two that don’t attend classes anymore because ICE was here in the south and they took a lot of people and they decided not to come because they were scared.”

The increasing pace of raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement has led many members of the Latino community to change their routines and sacrifice activities, as they no longer feel safe in public spaces. Almost 20% of Hispanic adults changed their habits in the months following Trump’s return to power, according to a 2025 study by the Pew Research Center.

Immigration enforcement has targeted Latinos more than other groups in Pennsylvania. In 2025 alone, ICE arrested 1,354 individuals from México, 1,215 individuals from Guatemala, and around 663 people from the Dominican Republic, according to the Deportation Data Project.

Thirty-four people died in ICE custody between Oct. 4, 2025 and July 13, according to the agency’s official report. Detention centers are failing to provide proper health care, ensure sanitary standards, and provide adequate access to hygiene, which violates ICE policy, UN Standards, and Human Rights Treaties, according to a 2025 study by Human Rights Watch. 

The terrible conditions of detention facilities and the lack of regard for due process intensify the anxiety and fear among Latinos. Luna explained that the thought of being detained by ICE scares her more nowadays because she doesn’t know what to expect anymore.

“We don’t know how long one may be detained,” Luna said. “We don’t know how it would be during a raid.”

A sense of comfort

Seeking help may seem daunting, but it can be transformative. Last year, the aggressive shift in immigration policy, combined with personal challenges, led Luna to seek support. After six months of therapy, she says she is doing better and more positive about her life.

“The therapist spoke in Spanish, so it’s more comfortable because the language in which you communicate well is Spanish,” Luna said.  “You feel more comfortable, especially at the beginning when one is more closed off.”

Bilingual and bicultural therapists can relate with people on a deeper level and make them feel secure in a time when many immigrants don’t fully trust institutions.

Currently, the Latino Health Collective is working to aid the community, sharing information and coordinating advocacy efforts. Hispanic Community Counseling Services, a Latino-operated organization, also offers multiple services to help people cope with the ongoing pressures.

The current environment may be discouraging, but there are organizations actively helping Latinos in Philadelphia and advocates who are working relentlessly to make sure members of the Latino community know they are not alone.

This story was first published by Metro Philadelphia and 2Puntos Platform, two of 27 news organizations powering the Philadelphia Journalism Collaborative. Follow us at @PHLJournoCollab.