Mixed-status families and the threat of deportation

Abstract

This article offers a description of deportation, explores the effects of deportation in the lives of mixed-status families, and outlines the social and economic cost of deportations to American communities. This article argues that the toll imposed on U.S. citizens, both relatives of those deported and members of the community, renders deportation, in most circumstances, an unfavorable policy that does more harm than good. A policy which is intended to protect Americans and curtail unauthorized migration instead creates injustice, fragments families and communities, and creates a significant negative impact on the U.S. economy.