Policy or Safety? The Traumatic Impact of Immigration Enforcement on Children with Gladis Molina (Episode #153)

What is the impact of immigration enforcement especially on children? Dr. Lynn Hellerstein sits down with Gladis Molina, advocate for immigrant children and families, to discuss the complex and deeply human consequences of immigration enforcement. This episode explores how current policies affect children’s emotional, physical, and psychological well-being—and what communities can do in response.

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Layers of Risk for Families

Gladis outlines two major layers of risk. The first is detention, where families—including children—are placed into immigration custody. The second is family separation. If children are not U.S. citizens, families are often detained together. But if children are citizens, parents may be detained while children are left behind—sometimes with relatives, other times entering the child welfare system. Both scenarios create significant trauma.

The Trauma Experienced by Children

Separation and instability leave lasting emotional impacts. Gladis shares her own experience of being separated from her parents, particularly her mother at age five during civil unrest in El Salvador. That moment shaped her sense of safety and identity, and decades later, she continues to process its effects. She connects this to what many children face today: fear, confusion, abandonment, and symptoms of PTSD.

Barriers to Healthcare and Long-Term Effects

The fear of immigration enforcement is causing families to avoid seeking medical care, even when it’s urgently needed. This avoidance can lead to long-term health consequences for children. Gladis stresses the importance of protecting schools and healthcare spaces from enforcement actions to ensure children feel safe accessing essential services.

Community Response and Advocacy Efforts

Despite the challenges, communities are taking action. Volunteers are escorting children to school, offering support to families, and raising awareness. Gladis highlights the work of the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights, advocating for children and reuniting families separated by deportation.

Exposing Systemic Practices

The conversation also sheds light on enforcement tactics, including “wellness checks” that may be used to identify undocumented individuals. These practices contribute to widespread fear and distrust, further isolating vulnerable families.

How You Can Help

Gladis encourages listeners to stay informed, engage with local communities, and support organizations working on the ground. Whether through volunteering, donating, or advocacy, small actions can collectively make a meaningful difference.

A Call to Reflect and Act

At the heart of the episode is a powerful question: What are we willing to risk to protect others? Gladis invites listeners to reflect on their values, find courage in everyday actions, and contribute to a more compassionate and supportive society.

This episode is a reminder that behind every policy are real children and families, and invites us to reflect on our values, find courage in small acts, and support efforts that protect the safety and dignity of all children.

About Gladis Molina:

Gladis Molina is a native of El Salvador and was brought to the U.S. in 1990 (at age 10) and settled in Los Angeles County. She was granted Lawful Permanent Status in 2001. The experience of being an undocumented immigrant child and young adult inspired Gladis to become an immigration attorney and advocate on behalf of immigrant children.

Gladis received her B.A. from California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) in 2002 and her J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2006.

Gladis first began working with immigrant children in 2005 as a summer law clerk for Catholic Charities in Los Angeles. After law school, she continued working with immigrant children as a staff attorney for the South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project (ProBAR) in the Rio Grande Valley. In 2008, she joined Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) in Los Angeles as a pro bono coordinator. In 2011, Gladis moved to Phoenix to serve as a managing attorney for the Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project (FIRRP), again focusing on children’s cases. As an attorney, Gladis has represented children in Immigration Court and Juvenile Court.

In 2016, Gladis joined the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights (Young Center) as part of its Child Advocate Program. In 2021, the Young Center’s Board of Directors hired Gladis to lead the Young Center’s Executive Team. In this capacity, Gladis works with colleagues across the Young Center’s three programs towards a world in which the best interests of non-citizen children in the United States are considered by government and other decision-makers. She also works with colleagues to ensure the Young Center’s services and advocacy align with the voices of the immigrant children it serves as well as the Young Center staff who work directly with the children and volunteers.

Connect with Gladis Molina and The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights:

Website | Facebook | X | Linked In | Instagram | Bluesky

Donate to the Young Center: https://www.theyoungcenter.org/get-involved/ways-to-give/

Volunteer with the Young Center: https://www.theyoungcenter.org/accompany-a-child/become-a-child-advocate/

“There is enough for all of us. We don’t have to say that we have to protect this country for some of us while others need to be kicked out. We all need each other at the end of the day. We can all be part of what makes this country great.” – Gladis Molina

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