In September 2024, the news of the deportation of at least 120 Iranian migrants from the United States to Iran — along with the potential removal of hundreds more — once again brought the fragility of Iranian migrants’ situation to the forefront of media attention. According to The New York Times, this forced return took place as part of a rare agreement between Washington and Tehran, and most of these individuals were deported either after their asylum claims were rejected or without a full judicial review of their cases.
This development reflects a deeper and more pervasive reality: the climate of instability and anxiety that Iranian migrants often endure for months — and sometimes years — ranging from uncertainty about visa extensions and green card approvals to ambiguity over the path to citizenship. For many, this is not merely a legal or political issue but a profoundly psychological experience — one characterized by chronic anxiety, insomnia, a sense of helplessness, and identity instability. International research has consistently shown that residency insecurity is one of the most significant risk factors for depression, anxiety disorders, and stress-related conditions among migrants.
For some Iranians, the psychological toll is even more severe, as their migration was not solely motivated by economic opportunity but also by fear of political persecution or due to religious or gender-related marginalization. The prospect of forced return to the very country they fled can amount to a re-experiencing of original trauma and a deepening sense of vulnerability.
From a public mental health perspective, such developments underscore the urgent need for policymakers, immigration authorities, and mental health professionals to address the psychological dimensions of residency policies. Viewing migration merely through a legal or security lens overlooks a substantial part of its human reality. In these circumstances, providing specialized psychological support, creating support groups for migrants facing deportation, and ensuring easy access to mental health services — including online care — become essential.
At eReliever, we deeply understand this reality: the mental well-being of Iranian migrants is not guaranteed by a visa or a green card alone — it depends on a sustained sense of safety, continuity, being heard, and having consistent support throughout the challenging journey of migration.
