Federal immigration raids sweeping Los Angeles have created such widespread fear that even naturalized citizens are afraid to leave their homes, prompting mental health providers to form informal support networks for traumatized immigrant communities.
Immigrant neighborhoods that were once bustling have become noticeably quieter, with fewer people on the streets and some businesses seeing reduced foot traffic.Therapists working in these communities say clients are canceling appointments and expressing new fears about seeking help.
Sandra Espinoza is a second-generation, bilingual Mexican-American licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and associate professor at Alliant International University’s Los Angeles campus. She has been paying attention to what has been happening locally and said she felt called to action.“Once I heard about the ICE raids happening, I was very upset, and [I wanted] to find a way to kind of channel my anxiety and anger. I remembered that during the wildfires, another therapist had organized a list of over 800 therapists who were willing to provide pro bono services,” Espinoza said. “[I thought] how cool would it be if we could do this for the undocumented community at this time?”While Espinoza’s network is smaller than the 1,000-provider wildfire list, she is far from alone in her desire to help migrants across the county. Some care providers are offering support publicly, while others, fearful due to their own or their clients’ immigration connections, are choosing to offer it privately through whisper networks and word-of-mouth referrals…