The separation of families under the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Zero Tolerance Policy for Criminal Illegal Entry” is raising significant concerns among members of the scientific community.

Researchers are offering evidence that concludes that separation between children and parents, except in the case of mistreatment, can lead to long-term psychological, social and health problems that are not easily remedied with reunification.

Rebecca White, an associate professor of family and human development in the Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics at Arizona State University, is among several contributors to a new report on dividing families at the U.S. border. White calls the situation involving the thousands of children that have been separated from their parents a “humanitarian crisis.” She says it does not end with the signing of this week’s executive order to halt further separations.

“While separations may have been halted, there are still more than 2,300 children currently separated from their parents and each moment that goes by is another dose of trauma for the children, the families, and the communities (here and abroad),” White said. “The reunification of these 2,300 children and parents - including timelines, mechanisms, and supports – remain unknown at this time.”

In the Society for Research in Child Development report, White and her colleagues cite research dating back to parent-child separations during World War II suggesting that those separations had far-reaching effects into adulthood, including increased risk for mental health problems such as anxiety, depression and behavior problems. White’s research also shows that U.S. immigration policies and heightened worries for separated families can also have a negative impact on American citizens.

Rebecca White is available to talk about the new SRCD report and her research findings related to the impact of  immigration policies on U.S. families.  Please contact [email protected] to schedule an interview.