The Immigrant Paradox: Protecting Immigrants Through Better Mental Health Care

43 Pages Posted: 1 Mar 2018 Last revised: 17 Apr 2018

See all articles by Andrew F. Moore

Andrew F. Moore

University of Detroit Mercy - School of Law

Date Written: February 5, 2018

Abstract

The Immigrant Paradox refers to a phenomenon noted by psychologists and psychiatrists that recently arrived immigrants report lower rates of psychiatric problems and substance abuse disorders than native born Americans. This is in spite of the obvious challenges that come with significant life changes of immigration that present stress and anxiety. Over time, however, immigrants’ mental health outcomes begin to deteriorate to reflect the mental health outcomes of the general population. Major studies of the mental health needs of the immigrant population show that they are underserved and they underutilize mental health care as their needs arise. Untreated mental health issues, both for immigrants and native born Americans are associated with a range of unhealthy outcomes such as substance abuse, and minor criminal behavior. For immigrants, an additional danger is being drawn into the aggressive immigration removal system that has increasingly focused on the types of offenses that might be committed by those with unaddressed mental health needs. This article proposes that better mental health care at the state level, with broader access to health insurance and utilization of culturally sensitive treatment is a way to divert immigrants out of the removal system.

This article explores the mental health care needs of immigrants and the barriers they face to access, such as cultural and economic barriers such as a lack of insurance. This piece provides an overview of the evolution of national mental health care system, which operates with significant gaps and deficiencies leading to many with unaddressed needs winding up in prisons and jails. As this increasing overlap has occurred between mental health issues and the criminal justice system, our immigration system has also evolved to increasingly overlap with the criminal justice system by greatly expanding the offenses for which an immigrant can be removed. This evolution in our immigration system reflects longstanding concerns in our nation about being burdened by unworthy, defective and criminally inclined immigrants. Our earliest immigration laws specifically singled out people with mental defects as excludable from the United States. Our modern system of removal serves the same role with its focus on drug and minor criminal offenses. What is needed is a re-framing of the issue to see better access to mental health care as a way to protect public safety and prevent the reification of false and negative stereotypes about immigrants. Given the current tone of the Trump administration narrative that immigrants are a threat to national security, efforts to address this issue are more likely to succeed among the states.

Keywords: Immigrants, Mental Health Care

Suggested Citation

Moore, Andrew F., The Immigrant Paradox: Protecting Immigrants Through Better Mental Health Care (February 5, 2018). Albany Law Review, Vol. 81, No. 1, 2017/2018, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3118458

Andrew F. Moore (Contact Author)

University of Detroit Mercy - School of Law ( email )

651 East Jefferson
Detroit, MI 48226
United States

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