Ambiguous Loss for Cambodian American Deportees and Their Families

Through an Ambiguous Loss framework, this study examines how family members in the United States and in Cambodia process grief and cope with deportation and separation. The ongoing sense of loss can result in families feeling stuck, continually dealing with the ambiguity of whether their deported family member is in or out of the family. Individual and group interviews conducted with family members in the United States and in Cambodia revealed the following main themes: frozen grief- inability to move on, ambiguous loss compounded by unclear roles and boundaries, and sense of betrayal. This research examines life after deportation and seeks ways to improve the conditions for families. These findings recognize the painful irony that exist for families dealing with loss from deportation.