Pirate's Cove

Here’s a new take on illegal immigration with a side order of virtue signaling from House Democrats Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Calif.), Grace F. Napolitano (D-Calif.), and Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.). Interestingly, Jayapal is an immigrant, you guys! Of course, she came here legally

Harsh U.S. immigration policies are causing mental, social harm to American children

Mental health affects all, regardless of gender, culture, and socio-economic status. Despite the universal nature, many are unable to get the care they need because of a shortage of providers and the stigma surrounding the diagnoses. May is National Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to erase this stigma and educate the public of all ages on the warning signs of mental illness. This month is even more meaningful for immigrants from around the world as our nation’s increasingly harsh immigration policies have harmed the mental and social well-being of millions of American children.

Roughly one in four American children younger than 18 live in immigrant families, and over four million U.S.-citizen children have at least one undocumented parent. A sense of safety and belonging is key to their psychological development. Feeling secure is critical to them thriving emotionally, academically and socially. Conversely, evidence has shown that adverse childhood experiences, like intense uncertainty and fear, are detrimental to their health.

It’s a shame that these illegal alien parents put their children’s mental health in jeopardy by either bringing them here illegally or having the children in the country, making them citizens.

Currently, too many children live in daily fear that their parents could be arrested, detained or deported at any moment. There are numerous stories of groggy children waking up to see their parents handcuffed and taken away late at night, or arrested by an ICE agent on the way to school. These heartbreaking stories will only increase if laws like Texas’ Senate Bill 4, a “show me your papers” law, continue to see the light of day. This unjust law calls on law enforcement and campus police to inquire about immigration status, including questioning children, and mandates fines and jail time for elected officials and law enforcement who fail to comply with the discriminatory law, even though it may make them complicit in violating constitutional safeguards.

First, this is still the fault of the parents. Not Trump, not Texas, not government. The parents. Second, the Texas bill allows law enforcement to inquire, it doesn’t require. 3rd, it has penalties for law enforcement that refuses to work with ICE as “sanctuary jurisdictions.” 4th, where are these stories? They are very rare, and usually involve law enforcement picking up really bad hombres in this manner. 5th, any who are picked up causing their children to cry are to be blamed for their own lawless behavior.

Researchers and clinicians have found that stress related to immigration can cause serious physical effects on smaller kids, including tantrums and bedwetting. Older children can become withdrawn, distracted, and even have stomachaches or insomnia. They may start performing poorly in school, avoiding school altogether, or acting out in rage.

As more children of immigrants become targets of bullying, such mistreatment may lead to children withdrawing socially, which prevents them from building healthy social relationships, a crucial element of their development. As one parent from the Los Angeles area recounted, “My daughter is having nightmares. Kids are afraid to go to school. I do my best to keep the TV off. We are not criminals. We are just trying to create a better life for our children.”

Fault of the parents. And, let’s be honest, children can be jerks, as they haven’t learned the art of having a filter between the brain and the mouth. Not that Democrats have learned this, either.

They keep on in this fashion, ending their squishy emotional laden missive with an idea

Rather than rip apart hardworking parents from their children, our society should provide meaningful immigration reforms, and invest in these children.

In other words, reward people who are unlawfully present in the United States with citizenship. Democrats love rewarding criminals.