As a rising developmental pediatrician, I often become a small part of a life-changing moment in my patients’ lives. I help them navigate the challenges of autism, ADHD, and other developmental disabilities. I celebrate their successes and offer support during their struggles.
Like myself, most of the patients I serve come from immigrant backgrounds, and English is not their first language. We work through tears and frustrations but also hang onto slivers of hopes and dreams for a better future. Lately, these slivers have become smaller with every day that goes by.
The current political climate has created a toxic environment of fear and uncertainty for immigrant communities. News of immigration raids in schools and whispers of where the immigration agents are stationed flood our clinic’s halls. The very real threats of separation take over as parents are worried about who will take care of their children with developmental disabilities if they get detained and deported. Calls for desperate advice come asking what they can do at the moment that ICE is at their door.
“Que hago doctorcita, la migra esta en mi puerta?” they ask.
My heart sinks with every call. I feel helpless and frustrated. I am a doctor, not a lawyer. I am trained to help children with developmental disabilities, not to protect them from the government. But I am also a human being, and I cannot ignore the suffering of my patients and their families. I have seen firsthand the devastating impact of deportation on children. Children who are separated from their parents may experience a range of emotional and behavioral problems including anxiety, depression, and PTSD. They may also have difficulty in school and social skills and may be more likely to engage in risky behaviors. I have seen children separated from their parents and traumatized by the experience of living in detention centers.
I know that I cannot single-handedly change the political climate, but I can do my part to protect my patients and their families. I can educate myself about their rights and resources. I can provide them with emotional support and connect them with legal assistance. I can give them a social story for their children about what to do when ICE comes to the door. I can also use my voice to advocate for policies that protect immigrant families.
I am not alone in this fight. Many other health care professionals are committed to protecting their immigrant patients. We need to work together to create a network of support and resources. We can do this by supporting organizations that provide legal and social services to immigrants such as the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, The Legal Aid Society, or the New York Legal Assistance Group, among others. We also need to reach out to our elected officials to take action to protect immigrant families. We need to ask them to pass laws that would provide a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, end family separation, and protect children from deportation.
We know this is an uphill battle, but we are not giving up. We will continue to fight for the rights of our patients and their families. We will continue to provide them with the best possible care, regardless of their immigration status. We believe that everyone deserves to live without fear and that all children deserve the opportunity to reach their full potential. We will continue to fight until all immigrant families are safe and protected.
Fiorella Castillo is a developmental pediatrician.
