How Being Undocumented Affects Mental Health

In this story, Jill Damatac reflects on how immigration shaped mental health in her family.

Damatac recalls her childhood in Manila and all that she learned from her father. In the Philippines, her dad was warm and caring; however, he changed when he moved to the US. In the US, he became depressed and coped by hoarding. He was also violent and angry, abusing Damatac, her mother, and her sister. During that time, they did what they could to survive but didn’t seek help or treatment as they feared deportation. This trauma was further complicated by experiences of racism and classism.

Jill Damatac's childhood trauma took a toll on her health. She was diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and insomnia; however, she didn’t have health insurance and couldn’t afford treatment. Her dad likely had the same conditions, but he died never having received help or treatment.

Everything changed for Damatac when she moved to Britain with her husband. There, she was able to process her trauma with the help of talk therapy and medication. She also obtained legal status. As a result, in Britain she gained self-fulfillment and a sense of belonging.

In February 2025, she and her family returned to the US. While she’s now a legal immigrant, she understands the plight of the undocumented and continues to advocate for them.

Psychological studies reveal the dire mental health consequences experienced by families like mine. According to the American Psychiatric Association, undocumented immigrants face multiple mental health risk factors. My family experienced many of them: trauma in our homeland, before migration (my parents grew up in dictatorship), and then, once in America, racism and discrimination in social settings, at school, and at work.

SOURCE: Harper's Bazaar • AUTHOR: Jill Damatac • LAST UPDATED: May 7, 2025