Immigration Enforcement and Latine/x Families

In this episode, host Rose Campbell speaks with UCLA social welfare scholar Dr. Tatiana Londoño about the psychological and social toll of immigration enforcement on Latine/x immigrant communities in the United States. Drawing on both her personal experience as a Colombian immigrant and her years of research, Londoño explains how immigration policies, from the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform Act to post-9/11 security measures and more recent ICE expansions, have created a climate of chronic fear for many immigrant families. This climate of fear discourages families from accessing healthcare, schools, and other social services, creating long-term consequences for children’s well-being. In the midst of these numerous challenges, Londoño emphasizes the resilience of immigrant communities and the importance of local advocacy and mutual aid networks. She encourages listeners to support community-based immigrant organizations, believe and validate the fears expressed by affected communities, and resist the normalization of policies and practices that produce widespread trauma.

Tatiano Londoño is an Associate Professor of Social Welfare at UCLA. She is a first-generation Latina born in Colombia and raised in Miami, Florida. Throughout her career, she has received funding from various sources such as OLLI NOVA Diversity Scholarship, St. David’s Foundation, Integrated Behavioral Health Scholars Program, and QuestBridge. Her work explores how Latine/x immigrant youth and families navigate and adapt to the psychosocial consequences of migration and resettlement. Her work is published in numerous academic journals including Family Process, The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Health Psychology, Journal of Adolescent Research, American Journal of Health Behavior, and Social Work in Mental Health.