Traumatizing children causes scars that won’t heal

Five‑year‑old Liam Conejo Ramos became a national symbol of outrage when a photo circulated of him in a Spider‑Man backpack and blue knit hat as he was taken into federal immigration custody. This past weekend, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery ordered Liam and his father released, denouncing what he called “the perfidious lust for unbridled power” and “the imposition of cruelty.”

Liam’s story is not an anomaly. As the Washington Post reported on Feb. 1, federal data and independent analyses indicate “immigration authorities are increasingly ensnaring the youngest and most vulnerable lives.” We do not know for sure how many children are being traumatized — and that uncertainty should alarm all Iowans and people nationwide.

I began my career as a psychologist in 1978. After decades of clinical practice, research, and teaching, one fact is beyond dispute: childhood trauma leaves deep and often irreversible scars: PTSD, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, impaired relationships, and even suicide can follow. These outcomes are well‑documented in the scientific literature, including H. Dye’s 2018 review in the Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment.

Today, there are children in the United States living with the terror of possible deportation and family separation. The reality may be far worse than what we see publicly — and what we see is already merciless. Imagining the fear these children experience during an arrest, a separation, or a forced transport is chilling. Imagining it happening to my own child or grandchild is psychologically overwhelming.

A 2025 study by Lee et al. published in Children and Youth Services Review underscores the severity of this crisis. The researchers found that:

The authors conclude: “Children are dependent on parents’ emotional and financial support, and cutting that support is inhumane, and seriously damages the opportunities for optimal social and emotional development. Hence we strongly advocate not separating or deporting parents with young children.”

We still lack transparency about what happens to children in detention. Who cares for them and how? What do they experience during the detention itself, during transport, or in the moments when a parent is taken away? These are not bureaucratic details — they are moral mandates.

What can we do?

1. Demand sustained, in‑depth media coverage.

The public deserves to know what happens to children during detention and potential deportation. This story should remain front and center.

2. Expand emotional and psychological support.

Children need resources at every stage: before, during, and after the traumatic events. Schools, mental health professionals, and community organizations are doing what they can, but the need exceeds current capacity.

3. Recognize the power of anticipatory anxiety.

Children living with the constant fear of arrest or separation endure a form of chronic stress that can be as debilitating as the trauma itself. This is not hypothetical; it is well‑established in psychological research.

4. Support organizations that protect immigrant children.

Groups such as Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) and the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) provide legal and social support to vulnerable children. Many others are doing essential work and need public backing.

5. Contact your elected representatives.

Local and national leaders must hear that the current situation needs to change. Children deserve humane treatment, not fear and trauma. The U.S. Congress can be reached at (202) 224‑3121.

As Bagattini wrote in Ethics and Social Welfare (2019), “Childhood is arguably the most vulnerable period of human life.” The threat of separation, detention, and deportation magnifies that vulnerability to an intolerable degree.

We have a moral mandate to act and a human responsibility to protect the children.

John S. Westefeld is board‑certified in Counseling Psychology and a Professor Emeritus of Counseling Psychology at the University of Iowa. The views expressed are his own.