Resources

California’s Due Process Crisis: Access to Legal Counsel for Detained Immigrants

By | Deportation, Detention, Immigrant Families Research, Immigration Enforcement, Legal/Law, Research Highlight

California’s Due Process Crisis: Access to Legal Counsel for Detained Immigrants

California Coalition for Universal Representation (June 2017)

This report shows that 68% of detained immigrants in CA are unrepresented. Legal representation can be a major determining factor in the outcome of immigration cases, as those with counsel succeed more than five times as often their unrepresented counterparts. As such, it is both fiscally responsible and morally necessary for CA to defend its residents facing detention and deportation.

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Amid deep cuts to youth services, Trump includes big increase to child welfare entitlement

By | In the News

Amid deep cuts to youth services, Trump includes big increase to child welfare entitlement

John Kelly, The Chronicle of Social Change (May 26, 2017)

President Trump’s budget proposal contains a 13.5% increase in Title IV-E funding for state foster care and adoption, but also includes a $153 million cut in federal foster care for unaccompanied minors, a system that is already deeply underfunded.

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Childhood Cut Short: Sexual and Gender-based Violence against Central American Migrant and Refugee Children

By | Child Maltreatment, Immigrant Youth, Research Highlight, Safety, Spanish Resources, Unaccompanied Minors, Unaccompanied Minors Research

Childhood Cut Short: Sexual and Gender-based Violence against Central American Migrant and Refugee Children

KIND (June 7, 2017)

Before and during migration, many unaccompanied children who come to the U.S. have endured violence. This study examines their experiences.

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Implications of Immigration Status on Foster Care Licensure

By | Child Well-Being, Foster Care, Immigrant Youth, Kinship Care, Law & Policy, Law/Policy Highlight, Legal/Law, State Policy

Implications of Immigration Status on Foster Care Licensure

American Bar Association (June 2017)

Foster parents follow guidelines for credentialing that vary by state. Although nothing in federal law prohibits persons with undocumented status from becoming foster parents, many states – but not all – prohibit those who are undocumented from obtaining foster parent status. This lack of credentialing opportunity for those without legal status results in both reduced financial resources to those relatives who potentially want to foster and are not documented and reduced opportunity for children to be placed in kinship care situations when these constraints are prohibitive.

State variations in law and policy are examined here for how they affect foster licensure. A summary version of this resource is also available.

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Children on the move: From protection towards a quality sustainable solution

By | Child Well-Being, Immigration Relief, Practice Highlight, Social Work, Social Workers

Children on the move: From protection towards a quality sustainable solution

International Social Service (ISS), June 2017

This publication provides practical information for global support and protection of children “on the move” and their rights. It may serve as a guide for policy-makers and those working with migrant children.

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New Director and Administrative Home

By | Opportunities

New Director and Administrative Home

The Center on Immigration and Child Welfare (CICW) has a new Director and a new administrative home in the border state of New Mexico at New Mexico State University (NMSU).  Our continuing mission remains the same:  to improve programs and policies related to immigrant children and families involved in the public child welfare system.

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Sixty Child Advocacy Organizations Join Statement

By | Opportunities

Sixty Child Advocacy Organizations Join Statement

Sixty child advocacy organizations across the nation, including the Center on Immigration and Child Welfare, have signed on to a joint statement, “On This We Agree: Children Require Special Care,” calling for the protection of children within the U.S. immigration system.

The statement outlines five general principles that immigration law and policy should uphold when dealing with children:

1. Children are different from adults and should be afforded special protections.
2. Children cannot have a fair immigration proceeding without a legal representative.
3. Children need time to establish trust.
4. Safety must be a paramount concern when investigating each child’s unique story.
5. The government should not disrupt the parent-child relationship except in extraordinary circumstances, and only then to protect the child’s safety.

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State Immigration Policy Resource

By | Immigration Enforcement, Law & Policy, Law/Policy Highlight, Legal/Law, State Policies, State Policy

State Immigration Policy Resource

Julia Gelatt; Hamutal Bernstein and Heather Koball, Urban Institute (May 4, 2017)

The Urban Institute’s State Immigration Policy Resource compiles state-level immigrant and immigration policies in three major areas: enforcement, public benefit access, and integration.

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The Basics on ICE Warrants and Detainers

By | Federal Policy, ICE, Immigration Enforcement, Law & Policy, Law/Policy Highlight

The Basics on ICE Warrants and Detainers

Immigration Legal Resource Center (May 2017)

This fact sheet, subtitled “Why ICE is Sending Immigration Warrants to Local Law Enforcement and What it Means,” explains the differences between warrants and detainers and describes how each is used in immigration enforcement.

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Needs Assessments: Trauma-Informed Services for Refugee/Immigrant Children and Families

By | Child Welfare System Research, Child Well-Being, Culture: Issues & Competencies, Research Highlight, Trauma

Needs Assessments: Trauma-Informed Services for Refugee/Immigrant Children and Families

Ad-Hoc Committee on Refugee and Immigrant Children and Trauma, The Illinois Childhood Trauma Coalition (May 2017)

This report presents findings on mental health services, cultural competency and quality of staff training related to language, cultural, time and institutional barriers. It highlights the gaps in training, areas for development and recommends future training materials.

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As 100-Day Trump Administration Milestone Approaches, MPI Analyzes Major Immigration Actions in New Fact Sheet

By | Federal Policy, Immigration Enforcement, Law/Policy Highlight, Legal/Law

As 100-Day Trump Administration Milestone Approaches, MPI Analyzes Major Immigration Actions in New Fact Sheet

Migration Policy Institute (April 25, 2017)

Executive Orders and implementation memos are examined and developments traced in the courts and Congress.

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Five Reasons Trump’s Immigration Policy Enforcement Orders Harm Children

By | Child Well-Being, Deportation, Detention, Family Separation, Federal Policy, ICE, Immigrant Youth, Immigration Enforcement, Law & Policy, Law/Policy Highlight

Five Reasons Trump’s Immigration Policy Enforcement Orders Harm Children

Wendy Cervantes and Christina Walker, CLASP (April 2017)

Child well-being and long-term development are impacted by policies’ potential harm to parent-child relationships, education, mental health, and economic security.

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Betraying Family Values: How Immigration Policy at the United States Border is Separating Families

By | Child Well-Being, Deportation, Detention, Family Separation, Federal Policy, ICE, Immigration Enforcement, Law & Policy, Law/Policy Highlight, Legal/Law, Trauma

Betraying Family Values: How Immigration Policy at the United States Border is Separating Families

Jessica Jones, Katharina Obser, and Jennifer Podkul; KIND, WRC, and LIRS (April 2017)

This report provides details about intentional and unintentional family separation, absence of humanitarian considerations, and effects of these experiences on immigrant families.

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Unaccompanied Children from Central America – Caught in the Crosshairs of President Trump’s Executive Orders

By | Deportation, Detention, Family Separation, Federal Policy, ICE, Immigrant Youth, Immigration Enforcement, Law & Policy, Law/Policy Highlight, Legal/Law, Unaccompanied Minors

Unaccompanied Children from Central America – Caught in the Crosshairs of President Trump’s Executive Orders

KIND (March 24, 2017)

Recent Executive Orders are evaluated for how they continue to affect unaccompanied children and their parents or guardians.

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