The Real Emergency at Our Southern Border Is Mental Health.

On February 15, 2019, President Trump declared a national emergency at the border of the United States and Mexico stating that "We're talking about an invasion of our country with drugs, with human traffickers, with all types of criminals and gangs."1 As clinical scientists, we are able to unpack data from the federal government and other sources to evaluate this statement. In contrast to the declaration, available data fail to support an invasion of drugs and criminals and instead point to a real humanitarian emergency regarding the mental health of children and families migrating to the United States from Central America.