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Nieves Ojendiz, an immigrant from Mexican, holds her daughter Jane, 4, at an immigration reform rally in New York in June. Drew Angerer / Getty Images

"Far too many children in this country already live in constant fear that their parents will be taken into custody or deported, and the message these children received today from the highest levels of our federal government exacerbates that fear and anxiety," Stein said.

"No child should ever live in fear. When children are scared, it can impact their health and development. Indeed, fear and stress, particularly prolonged exposure to serious stress known as toxic stress can harm the developing brain and negatively impact short- and long-term health."

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Dr. Julie Linton has seen it firsthand.

"I had a child I took care of in clinic a few months ago who came in complaining of headaches," said Linton, a pediatrician in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and co-chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Immigrant Health Special Interest group.

"He said he was told in school that his parents would be sent away and that's when his headaches started."

Linton takes a deep breath when asked about the argument that parents should not have brought their children to the U.S. illegally in the first place.

"As a mother myself, I cannot imagine what it would be like to be in a circumstance where I was fearing for the life, health and education of my child," she said.

"What I see when I have these families in front of me is fearful parents with fearful children striving to have a better life, to have a safe life, and to have a hopeful life," she added.

"It's not a choice. If you are fleeing violence threatening the life of your child, you're not making a choice. You're making a decision to protect your baby."

Many schools have reported that children of immigrants even those whose parents are established citizens

"We urge President Trump and his Administration to ensure that children and families who are fleeing violence and adversity can continue to seek refuge in our country. Immigrant children and families are an integral part of our communities and our nation, and they deserve to be cared for, treated with compassion, and celebrated," Stein said.

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Pediatricians Speak Out Against President Trump's Immigration Orders - NBCNews.com