Protecting & Supporting Immigrant Children & their Families in Early Learning Spaces
Note: This post is intended as a clearinghouse for early learning/child care and immigration resources, especially for providers, activists and parents. The links and information included here are informational only and should not be considered a substitute for or in lieu of legal advice.
Threats to critical programs millions of families and communities rely on, along with the increased attacks on immigrant communities by Donald Trump and his allies, have laid a pathway of peril for children and families throughout the county. The administration has pushed their anti-family agenda through executive orders, unlawful funding freezes, massive staff layoffs, and closures of child care serving offices. These, along with the surge in anti-immigrant policies and directives have led to an escalation of fear, uncertainty and confusion for many of our communities. This environment also has a negative impact on our care infrastructure, where workers of immigrant backgrounds provide needed services many families across the country rely on to be able to work and support their households.
Currently one quarter of children in the US under the age of six are from immigrant families (meaning they have at least one foreign-born parent). This demographic represents the fastest growing population of young children in the country, with the vast majority of these children being U.S.-born citizens. In the child care sector, over a quarter (27%) of direct care workers, meaning the providers and early educators who are already working in an industry with crisis-level shortages, are immigrants, up from 5 percent in 1980. Immigrant women are a significant percentage of the child care workforce across the country, making up nearly half of all female child care providers and early educators in areas like Los Angeles and New York City. New immigrants also make up vastly different shares of each state’s child care workforce. In seven states (like Mississippi and Vermont), they represent less than 5 percent. However, immigrants make up more than 20 percent of early educators in 14 states and the District of Columbia and higher percentages in Florida and New York (38 and 40 percent, respectively). Harsh anti-immigrant policies are threatening the stability of an already precariously understaffed child care workforce, and without immigrants, the entire caregiving infrastructure would collapse, threatening the well being of millions of families and harming the economy.
The harmful effects of these extreme policies are being felt every day in child care and early learning centers and schools. Since 2011, child care centers have been off-limits to immigration authorities, yet in the first few days of the Trump administration, Donald Trump rescinded the protected areas policy, opening the door for these once safe spaces to unintentionally (and in some unfortunate cases, intentionally) mirror the hostility, fear, and discrimination being spread throughout the country. Bias, harmful practices, and a lack of cultural understanding can create environments where immigrant children and their families feel unsafe, unseen, and excluded. Let’s be clear, this doesn’t just impact immigrant children or the children of immigrant parents, it creates an unsafe environment for all children from a mental health perspective. If some kids don't feel safe, ALL kids are likely impacted by that fear. Left unchecked, these hostile conditions not only harm the early learning education and mental health of our littlest learners and their families but also weaken the fabric of our communities. Already, families are choosing not to send their children to child care or school. However, actively fostering inclusive, affirming spaces in our child care spaces can counter this division and fear, uphold the principles of dignity and opportunity, and ensure that every child, regardless of birthplace or status, has the chance to thrive, lead, and contribute to a stronger and brighter future.
The intentional, informed and collective efforts of providers, advocates and community members (like you!) who support immigrant students and families can make a big difference. Below is a list of trusted national immigration rights resources from partners offering information to parents, caregivers, providers and advocates to help create safe spaces and protect immigrant children and their families:
NATIONAL RESOURCES FOR IMMIGRANT PARENTS & CAREGIVERS:
The Spanish language video with English translations demonstrates and provides insight for parents on how to communicate with their young children on topics that are particularly difficult to tackle. It models interactions between parent and child and shows them how to respond, and comfort a child who faces the stress of bullying, and potential family separation.
Home Grown has compiled this resource list from trusted organizations to support immigrant families, providers and caregivers.
Please note that each state has its own forms and processes related to designating another adult to care for children in the event the child’s parent or legal guardian is separated from the child. Please seek guidance from an immigration attorney or an immigrant rights organization for specific information in your state.
Trigger Warning: These videos contain images of uniformed and armed law enforcement agents..
-Video in English
-Video in Spanish
This Toolkit is a resource-packed informational document designed to help immigrants with no legal status or in mixed status families begin to understand the immigration legal landscape and plan for their own journey through an ever-changing, complex system in the United States.
This free toolkit outlines the basics about a variety of topics including:
- Your rights during ICE confrontations,
- Different types of immigration options available
- Ideas for building your consultation roadmap
- Tips on covering your bases while waiting for relief
- This 13-page resource also incorporates links to other helpful reference documents, fact sheets, and tools readers can use to construct their own personalized plan
RESOURCES FOR PROVIDERS/ADVOCATES:
An informational blog post which reviews the 5 federal agencies' actions that came out a couple weeks ago regarding immigrants' eligibility for a variety of federal programs under the 1996 PRWORA (Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996) law. This commentary is especially oriented to service providing organizations that may be wondering how to interpret these federal actions, given the misleading press releases that accompanied them.
Per a DHS statement on January 21st, the 2021 protected areas policy was rescinded on January 20th and replaced with a new directive advising enforcement agents to use “common sense.” This messaging guide gives more info on what this means and provides talking points on this issue.
CLASP, CTAN, and other partners created this resource document to help support early education, K-12, housing, and healthcare providers and local jurisdictions in keeping their locations and facilities safe from immigration enforcement. This page provides a list of resources on how to support immigrant children and families, know your rights information, and other helpful materials on the topic.
To address growing concerns among WIC staff and families, NWA prepared this factsheet outlining guidance for WIC clinics.
ACTION TOOLKITS & GUIDES:
This guide gives practitioners, advocates, and policymakers information and resources to design and implement “safe space” policies that safeguard early childhood programs against immigration enforcement. A “safe space” policy is a plan or set of protocols to mitigate the harm of possible immigration enforcement actions at or near early childhood programs and protect families’ safety and privacy. CLASP is available to provide technical assistance as you develop your safe space policy.If you have questions or would like us to review a draft policy, please contact Priya Pandey (ppandey@clasp.org).
This toolkit, which is being updated on an ongoing basis, serves two purposes:
Help service providers and community members speak out against immigration enforcement that harms children in immigrant families.
Help parents, service providers, and community members protect families at risk of being torn apart by aggressive immigration enforcement.
LEGAL RESOURCES:
Know your rights if you are arrested by police, or detained by ICE, your right to an attorney, and your rights to phone calls.
-List of legal organizations that assist immigrants
-Contacting your local ACLU Affiliate
This link goes to the National Immigration Legal Services Directory. This tool can be utilized to search for immigration legal services providers by state, county, or detention facility. Only nonprofit organizations that provide free or low-cost immigration legal services are included in this directory.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS:
There are rights guaranteed under the Constitution, regardless of immigration status. Learn more here about one's rights as an immigrant, and how to express them, including what to do when interacting with law enforcement, if police or ICE come to your home, being stopped by ICE etc.
Red Cards are small cards that give examples of how people can exercise their rights and protections under the US Constitution. This link provides information on ordering these FREE red cards or printing them on your one. Red Cards do not provide individualized legal advice. Community members are encouraged to check in with a trusted legal service provider for questions about their situation.
A variety of materials to educate the community and prepare individuals for possible encounters with immigration authorities, including links to:
- A Flyer About Your Rights When Confronted by ICE
- A Downloadable, Fillable, and Printable Family Preparedness Plan
- A List of Rapid Response Network Phone Numbers
- A Webinar Providing a Sample Know Your Rights Presentation
- Know Your Rights Tutorial Video to Help Prepare You prepare for and safely defend your rights during encounters with Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE)
Resources on how to Help Families Prepare for Immigration Raids and Other Enforcement Actions.
REPORTING ICE (IMMIGRATION & CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT) ACTIVITY
Find local rapid response hotlines in California to report ICE enforcement operations & other sightings in the state.
DATA/RESEARCH:
This resource will briefly summarize the available data on immigrant children, families, and child care providers and early educators and examine the impact of the Trump Administration’s anti-immigrant policies on CCEE to date.
National Women's Law Center (NWLC) and UnidosUS created a brief highlighting the importance of immigrant early educators in the child care sector.
This fact sheet provides four key facts about immigrant care workers and how anti-immigrant policies will impact care work.
RESOURCES FOR SCHOOLS:
- MomsRising Resources to Support Immigrant Students in Hostile Environments
As parents, advocates and concerned community members, we have the power to create a more welcoming and safe environment for all students to learn, including children from immigrant families. Here are meaningful ways we can make a difference in our school communities:
- Blog Post - Five Ways to Support Immigrant Children in Your Local School Community
- Teach-In Full Video on Protecting & Supporting Immigrant Students
- Community Protection & Mutual Aid Toolkit: Learn quiet strategies for safety, including coded language systems, sanctuary planning, and school observation logs in both English and Spanish.
- Defining & Disrupting Hostile Environments: Understand the key features of hostile school climates and practical ways to counter them.
- National Mutual Aid Resource List: A list of local and national mutual aid and immigrant support organizations and resources in both English and Spanish.
American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Reporting Immigration Enforcement Actions
AFT members play an important role in helping to keep our immigrant students, patients and families safe during these uncertain times. The AFT is working with community partners on a rapid response to help our immigrant communities. And we need your help! Have you witnessed or experienced an immigration enforcement action in your community? Report these incidents to help us mobilize resources and help provide support to those impacted. All reports are confidential.
In this toolkit you can:
- Learn about current immigration issues and the status of DREAMers and DACA recipients.
- Find out how your school can become a safe zone for immigrant students and communities in the face of harsh immigration enforcement.
- Take action for fair and just immigration policies.
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