A new national report warns that the immigration policy The United States is causing family separations among American citizens married to people without legal status, even in long-term marriages with citizen children and decades of roots in the country.
The study, published this month by the organization American Families United (AFU)It is based on a 2025 survey of more than 200 citizens in mixed-status marriages and describes an impact that, according to the data, is no longer a future threat but an everyday reality.
“The findings confirm what I hear from our members every day: the application of immigration laws “The lack of real pathways to legal status for spouses of U.S. citizens is tearing American families apart,” said Ashley DeAzevedo, AFU’s executive director, in a press release.
The report indicates that 20% of the couples surveyed already live separately or abroad, and that Since January 2025, more than 80% have seriously discussed the possibility of leaving the United States for fear of the deportation of one of their spouses. .
Most of these marriages last more than ten years, and almost all immigrant spouses have lived in the country for more than a decade.
Long-term marriages without a legal recourse available
Far from the notion of recent or fleeting relationships, the report shows that mixed-status marriages surveyed have a long history in the United States. More than 75% have been married for over ten years, and one in five have been together for more than two decades. On average, couples have been married for 13 years.
“These are not relationships seeking a shortcut or a quick fix,” the report states. “These are long-term marriages, with children, grandchildren, and family responsibilities that still lack a viable legal path under current law.”
Almost all of the immigrant spouses included in the survey have lived in the United States for more than ten years, and nearly half for more than 25. Even so, many report having received the same message after years of legal procedures and consultations: there is no legal way for them to regularize their status without risking a prolonged separation.
The separation is no longer a hypothetical scenario
One of the most striking findings of the report is that family separation is no longer a distant possibility. Twenty percent of the couples surveyed reported that they currently live separately or abroad, either because the immigrant spouse resides overseas or because both were forced to emigrate to stay together.
“Before 2025, less than half of couples had talked about leaving the United States,” the report states. “Since January, that conversation has become almost universal.”
The change coincides with a climate of increased immigration control that, according to the study, makes no distinction between people with criminal records and those with decades of family ties. For many families, the dilemma boils down to two options: staying together outside the country or facing indefinite separation.
The everyday impact: health, economy and children as citizens
The report documents how the impact of immigration policy permeates the daily lives of these families. 97,5% of the citizens surveyed reported emotional distress; over 78% reported financial hardship; and more than half reported stress-related health problems.
“We’re saving not for the future, but for an emergency if she’s detained or we have to leave the country,” one participant wrote. Another recounted, “My son is afraid of immigration officers because, to him, they’re the ones who won’t let his dad come home.”
Three out of four couples have children who are U.S. citizens. The report warns that many children experience anxiety, difficulty concentrating in school, and persistent fear of losing a parent—an emotional burden rarely addressed in the public debate on immigration.
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How the survey was conducted and who it includes
The report is based on the 2025 National Survey of Mixed-Status Couples, conducted between October and November by American Families United in collaboration with Relevant Research. The survey was distributed nationally through AFU member networks, mailing lists, and community channels, and gathered more than 200 completed responses.
To participate, respondents had to confirm two conditions: being U.S. citizens and being legally married to a person without legal immigration status in the United States. The questionnaire distinguished between couples living together in the country, couples separated by borders, and families residing together outside the United States.
>> Collateral Damage Report “How Immigration Policy Harms US Citizens in Mixed-Status Marriages
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