The message below (draft by MPS President, Ronald Means, MD) was sent to Maryland congressional representatives this week regarding local immigrant detention. Given the timely visit of Sen. Raskin to a detention center, we thought it was important to communicate the impacts of detention from a mental health standpoint as well as offer local Maryland resources.  If you would like to send this message (or one using your own words) please click here to contact your elected officials:

• Contact your US Congressional Representative(s)
• Contact your local Maryland Senator/Delegate

The Maryland Psychiatric Society (MPS) is the state medical organization whose physician members specialize in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental illnesses, including substance use disorders.  Formed over seventy years ago to support the needs of psychiatrists and their patients, MPS works to ensure available, accessible and comprehensive quality mental health resources for all Maryland citizens, and strives through public education to dispel the stigma and discrimination of those suffering from a mental illness.  As the District Branch of the American Psychiatric Association covering the state of Maryland excluding the D.C. suburbs, MPS represents over 780 psychiatrists as well as physicians currently in psychiatric training.  

I am writing to offer support in your efforts against the harmful detention of immigrants in Maryland. I feel that it is particularly important to lend our voice to the cause as psychiatrists who serve the people of Maryland. As treating providers of those who are abused and mistreated, we know firsthand the impacts of such detentions upon individuals.  It is potentially traumatizing for individuals to be detained and particularly egregious if housed in ill-equipped facilities without adequate services to care for medical and mental health needs. It is inevitable that many of those who are taken from their communities will be psychologically harmed, thus resulting in mental illness.  Also, the additional indirect harms to families and communities are innumerable.

In December 2025, the American Psychiatric Association issued a Position Statement on Protecting the Mental Health of Immigrant Children [linkprotect.cudasvc.com].  The statement highlighted the detrimental mental impacts caused by family separations, prolonged detentions, and deportations and the resulting increased incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety. These human rights violations will most certainly cause psychological harm to children and “disrupt critical developmental processes.”  As the Maryland Psychiatric Society, I am dedicated to advocate for all Maryland residents in the prevention and treatment of mental illness and want to be of assistance in serving Maryland immigrants who need our support.  Please let me know if/how I can be of assistance.