Jail-like detention can trigger "self-harm, suicidal ideation, [and] suicide attempts," according to Laurie Heffron, an assistant professor of social work at St. Edwards University in Austin, Texas. Heffron works with immigrants and women who have experienced domestic and sexual violence.
In several studies included in the previously mentioned review of research on detained young asylum seekers, suicidal ideation became common in more than half of the children and adolescents studied. Between a quarter and a third of children and adults who had never previously engaged in self harm began to do so, the studies found.
Much of this research doesn't account for the additional trauma of forced family separation on top of detention, but it indicates that detention itself is harmful.
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released a statement Wednesday addressing the lasting consequences of the family separation policy.
"Most mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders have their roots in childhood and adolescence, and childhood trauma has emerged as a strong risk factor for later suicidal behavior," the statement said.