When it is and why it matters
June is Immigrant Heritage Month in the United States, established to celebrate the contributions of immigrants to American life and to acknowledge the full complexity of the immigrant experience, including its costs. More than 47 million immigrants live in the United States, according to the American Immigration Council, making up roughly 14 percent of the population. Millions more are U.S.-born children of immigrants whose lives are shaped by the experiences their parents carried across borders.
The month does not belong to any single community. Immigrant Heritage Month holds the full range: the person who immigrated by choice for education or opportunity, the refugee who fled violence with no choice at all, the family reunited after years of separation, and the person who arrived decades ago and still carries the particular loneliness of belonging fully to neither the country they left nor the one they joined. All of those experiences are real. None of them cancel the others.
This month, The Group Guide is focusing on the mental health side of immigration, not because immigration is a mental health problem, but because the psychological weight of crossing borders, navigating new systems, and building a life in a place that did not know you is real and underserved. Support groups are one resource that can help.
What the research says
The mental health research on immigrants and refugees is clear on one thing: the stress of immigration is real, and it accumulates. The process of leaving a home, crossing a border, and resettling, especially under conditions of urgency or danger, taxes every system the body and mind have for coping with threat. That stress does not evaporate once someone is settled.
Researchers use the term “acculturative stress” to describe the psychological pressure of adapting to a new cultural context. Studies published in journals including Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology have documented that acculturative stress is associated with elevated rates of depression and anxiety, particularly among first-generation immigrants and refugees. Language barriers, discrimination, economic precarity, and uncertainty about immigration status all function as chronic stressors that compound over time.
Refugees face a particular mental health burden. A 2018 meta-analysis published in JAMA Psychiatry found that rates of PTSD among refugees were approximately ten times higher than among the general population of the resettlement country. Depression and anxiety were also significantly elevated. These rates reflect the conditions of displacement, violence, loss, uncertainty, and the disruption of every relationship and structure that had previously provided stability.
At the same time, immigrant communities have significant mental health strengths. Research on the “immigrant health paradox” has documented that, on certain mental health measures, first-generation immigrants show better outcomes than their U.S.-born counterparts, a finding attributed to strong family cohesion, collective coping, and the protective role of cultural identity. That resilience is real and worth naming alongside the risk.
Support groups designed specifically for immigrants and refugees: particularly those that are culturally congruent, offered in the participant’s language, and facilitated by someone with shared experience, have shown strong outcomes in studies from SAMHSA, the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, and the International Journal of Mental Health.
Groups for immigrants and refugees in our directory
The Group Guide is building out its directory of support groups for immigrants, refugees, and their families. If you facilitate a group serving this community, in any language, online or in person, you can claim a free Founding Member listing at List Your Group.
The following search terms may surface relevant options:
- “Immigration”: groups for immigrants navigating the legal, emotional, and social challenges of resettlement
- “Refugees”: groups for people who have experienced displacement and forced migration
- “Community”: culturally-specific peer support groups, many of which serve immigrant communities
Browse by location and format at thegroupguide.com.
How to choose a group as an immigrant or refugee
Finding the right support group as an immigrant or refugee involves a few considerations that general mental health seekers may not face.
Language access is not optional. A group offered in your primary language is not a luxury: it is a basic requirement for safety and connection. A group where you cannot fully express yourself, or where nuance gets lost in translation, may do more harm than good. Look specifically for groups offered in your language, or with interpretation services.
Cultural congruence matters. Mental health concepts do not translate perfectly across cultures. A group facilitator who understands your cultural framework, what family means, what help-seeking signals, what is considered private versus appropriate to discuss in a group, will be more useful than one who operates from a single cultural model. Groups run by facilitators with shared cultural background, or specifically designed for your community, are worth seeking.
Legal status concerns are real. Some immigrants avoid mental health services because of fears, sometimes well-founded, about how information might be used. A reputable support group will have a clear confidentiality policy and will not share information with immigration authorities. Ask directly before you disclose anything sensitive.
Community organizations are an access point. Many support groups serving immigrant and refugee communities are not found through traditional mental health channels. They are often housed within resettlement agencies, community health centers, faith communities, or cultural organizations. Starting with those organizations, rather than with a clinical directory, may surface options that do not show up elsewhere.
Other resources
- National Immigration Law Center: nilc.org: legal resources and rights information for immigrants
- SAMHSA Behavioral Health Treatment Locator: findtreatment.gov: includes culturally and linguistically specific providers
- National Child Traumatic Stress Network: nctsn.org: resources for refugee and immigrant children and families, including trauma-informed care
- NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness): nami.org: peer support groups and resources, with some culturally specific programming
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988: free, confidential, 24/7; available in Spanish and other languages
FAQ
What is Immigrant Heritage Month?
Immigrant Heritage Month is observed each June in the United States. It celebrates the contributions of immigrants to American life and acknowledges the breadth of the immigrant experience, from voluntary migration to forced displacement. It is an opportunity to recognize both the resilience of immigrant communities and the real challenges they face.
How does immigration affect mental health?
Immigration can affect mental health in multiple ways. The process of leaving a home, crossing a border, and adapting to a new culture, particularly under difficult conditions, creates chronic stress that is associated with elevated rates of depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Refugees, who often leave under conditions of violence or persecution, face particularly high rates of trauma-related conditions. At the same time, immigrant communities have documented mental health strengths, including family cohesion and collective coping.
Are there support groups specifically for immigrants and refugees?
Yes. Community health centers, resettlement agencies, and cultural organizations often host support groups for specific immigrant communities. The Group Guide is building out its directory; if you run one, you can list it for free. General trauma and grief support groups can also be useful when immigrant-specific options are not available nearby.
What should I look for in a mental health support group as an immigrant?
Look for groups offered in your language, facilitated by someone with cultural familiarity with your background, and with a clear confidentiality policy. Groups housed within community organizations you already trust may be easier to access and more culturally congruent than those found through clinical directories.
What if I am in crisis?
Call or text 988. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day. Spanish-language support is available by pressing 2. If you have concerns about confidentiality, the lifeline is a health service, not an immigration service, and does not share information with immigration authorities.
The Group Guide is a directory. Group leaders write their own listings, and we do not vet, supervise, or endorse the groups listed here. We are not a clinic and we do not provide clinical services or guarantee outcomes. That is the group’s work, not ours. If you are in crisis, call or text 988.