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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Left behind: families face uncertain future when fathers are deported | Left behind: families face uncertain future when fathers are deported |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| For more than two decades, Hector Avilez Avila had been by his wife Carolina’s side. But when US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) officers showed up at his court appearance in 2017 to take him into custody, she was on her own overnight. | For more than two decades, Hector Avilez Avila had been by his wife Carolina’s side. But when US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) officers showed up at his court appearance in 2017 to take him into custody, she was on her own overnight. |
| The family’s financial burden fell completely to her. When their house and her business were flooded, she had to repair them without him. Suddenly, there was no one there to help her raise their two kids or take on the responsibilities they once shared. | The family’s financial burden fell completely to her. When their house and her business were flooded, she had to repair them without him. Suddenly, there was no one there to help her raise their two kids or take on the responsibilities they once shared. |
| She watched as her children became depressed without their father. Sometimes, she said, they wouldn’t eat. | She watched as her children became depressed without their father. Sometimes, she said, they wouldn’t eat. |
| “It was totally like a death in the family,” Carolina said. “For the first few months, your life goes crazy. It goes nuts. I had to figure it out.” | “It was totally like a death in the family,” Carolina said. “For the first few months, your life goes crazy. It goes nuts. I had to figure it out.” |
| 'I live in fear': under Trump, life for America's immigrants can change in a flash | 'I live in fear': under Trump, life for America's immigrants can change in a flash |
| Though almost half of the people living in the United States illegally are women, more than 90% of Ice arrests between 2013 and 2017 were of men, according to the non-partisan thinktank Migration Policy Institute (MPI). Many of them were breadwinners or caretakers, and experts say the damage done to the people they left behind may be irreparable. | Though almost half of the people living in the United States illegally are women, more than 90% of Ice arrests between 2013 and 2017 were of men, according to the non-partisan thinktank Migration Policy Institute (MPI). Many of them were breadwinners or caretakers, and experts say the damage done to the people they left behind may be irreparable. |
| Under Donald Trump’s zero-tolerance immigration policy, deportation and separation have become even more daunting, as there are fewer easy fixes. When husbands and fathers were deported in the past, they often re-entered the country, said Randy Capps, the MPI director of research for US programs. But now, men know they will probably serve jail time if they try to cross the US-Mexico border and get caught by the border patrol. | Under Donald Trump’s zero-tolerance immigration policy, deportation and separation have become even more daunting, as there are fewer easy fixes. When husbands and fathers were deported in the past, they often re-entered the country, said Randy Capps, the MPI director of research for US programs. But now, men know they will probably serve jail time if they try to cross the US-Mexico border and get caught by the border patrol. |
| The consequences of indefinite separation can be devastating for those left behind. Researchers at MPI found that on average, a family loses between two-thirds and three-fourths of their income after the undocumented father’s arrest. | The consequences of indefinite separation can be devastating for those left behind. Researchers at MPI found that on average, a family loses between two-thirds and three-fourths of their income after the undocumented father’s arrest. |
| “Economic hardship ensues when breadwinners are arrested and detained or deported, leading to the family’s increased dependence on charity care and public benefits, even though eligibility for most benefits is limited to the US-citizen children in these families,” researchers at MPI wrote. | “Economic hardship ensues when breadwinners are arrested and detained or deported, leading to the family’s increased dependence on charity care and public benefits, even though eligibility for most benefits is limited to the US-citizen children in these families,” researchers at MPI wrote. |
| Carolina knows of another woman whose husband was detained; she now lives in a shelter with her one-year-old child. Capps said immigrant families are often forced to double-occupy homes with others or move frequently after their main provider is detained or deported because they can no longer pay rent. | Carolina knows of another woman whose husband was detained; she now lives in a shelter with her one-year-old child. Capps said immigrant families are often forced to double-occupy homes with others or move frequently after their main provider is detained or deported because they can no longer pay rent. |
| 3,121 desperate journeys: exposing a week of chaos under Trump's zero tolerance | 3,121 desperate journeys: exposing a week of chaos under Trump's zero tolerance |
| Even in less extreme circumstances, parents confront hard questions about their future when one of them is facing removal. Immigrants are being deported to countries that are often unsafe. Their partners must decide whether to follow them and potentially put their entire family in danger or stay in the US, where they know their family may never be complete again. | Even in less extreme circumstances, parents confront hard questions about their future when one of them is facing removal. Immigrants are being deported to countries that are often unsafe. Their partners must decide whether to follow them and potentially put their entire family in danger or stay in the US, where they know their family may never be complete again. |
| Capps said most parents will choose to keep their children here even after one of them is deported. However, that is not always the case: a reported 500,000 US-citizen children resided in Mexico alone in 2010, though whether their family left voluntarily or followed a deported parent is unknown. | Capps said most parents will choose to keep their children here even after one of them is deported. However, that is not always the case: a reported 500,000 US-citizen children resided in Mexico alone in 2010, though whether their family left voluntarily or followed a deported parent is unknown. |
| People tend to focus on children when they talk about family separation, but women who lose a spouse to immigration enforcement face their own nightmares beyond financial and logistical instability. The trauma they undergo is believed to have long-term psychological effects, and even those who can manage economically without their partners still experience serious mental health risks. | People tend to focus on children when they talk about family separation, but women who lose a spouse to immigration enforcement face their own nightmares beyond financial and logistical instability. The trauma they undergo is believed to have long-term psychological effects, and even those who can manage economically without their partners still experience serious mental health risks. |
| Antonio Puente, a professor of psychology at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, likened separation through immigration enforcement to someone lopping off one leg on a four-legged stool and asking someone else to sit on it. | Antonio Puente, a professor of psychology at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, likened separation through immigration enforcement to someone lopping off one leg on a four-legged stool and asking someone else to sit on it. |
| He said Americans are demanding that undocumented immigrants and their families face realities they would never be able to endure themselves. | He said Americans are demanding that undocumented immigrants and their families face realities they would never be able to endure themselves. |
| “We’re not deporting one person, or detaining one person,” Puente said. “We’re deporting or detaining an entire family.” | “We’re not deporting one person, or detaining one person,” Puente said. “We’re deporting or detaining an entire family.” |
| Separation involves huge stress, Puente said. Spouses and partners left behind deal with a devastating personal loss that is constantly relived until separation ends. | Separation involves huge stress, Puente said. Spouses and partners left behind deal with a devastating personal loss that is constantly relived until separation ends. |
| “In our cases, when a death happens, it happens once,” Puente said. “In this case, it happens every day that they wake up without their loved one present.” | “In our cases, when a death happens, it happens once,” Puente said. “In this case, it happens every day that they wake up without their loved one present.” |
| 'They were laughing at us': immigrants tell of cruelty, illness and filth in US detention | 'They were laughing at us': immigrants tell of cruelty, illness and filth in US detention |
| Carolina sobbed when it appeared her husband would probably sign his deportation papers and go back to Mexico. Avila believed that if he returned to his home country, he might be kidnapped and tortured for money like his uncles were. But he had been incarcerated for a year, and he was ready to get out. | Carolina sobbed when it appeared her husband would probably sign his deportation papers and go back to Mexico. Avila believed that if he returned to his home country, he might be kidnapped and tortured for money like his uncles were. But he had been incarcerated for a year, and he was ready to get out. |
| Where that left Carolina, she did not know. She had started looking at other, safer countries where she and her children might be able to join Avila. But if they moved away from the US, they would be leaving their home, where both she and the kids were citizens. | Where that left Carolina, she did not know. She had started looking at other, safer countries where she and her children might be able to join Avila. But if they moved away from the US, they would be leaving their home, where both she and the kids were citizens. |
| Since then, Avila has been deported to Mexico, and Carolina and their children are visiting him this fall. | Since then, Avila has been deported to Mexico, and Carolina and their children are visiting him this fall. |
| “I’m so disappointed in this government,” Carolina said. “I swam this far to drown at the edge.” | “I’m so disappointed in this government,” Carolina said. “I swam this far to drown at the edge.” |
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