Sophia Sepp

CICW Statement in Support of Immigrant Communities Impacted by LA Wildfires

January 13, 2025 – The Center on Immigration and Child Welfare Initiative stands in solidarity with those affected by the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, CA, sharing in the collective grief of the individuals and families whose lives have been profoundly impacted. It has been deeply painful to witness the immense trauma Angelenos are enduring as they face evacuations, the loss of homes and livelihoods, and the uncertainty that follows such destruction.

We wish to especially recognize the unique challenges faced by immigrant communities during this crisis. Mixed-status families, children of immigrants, undocumented workers, day laborers, and their communities are navigating compounding vulnerabilities, including housing insecurity, precarious employment, and the fear of seeking emergency services. Many mixed-status families in California may be hesitant to seek assistance due to fears about immigration enforcement. These struggles mirror the challenges and resilience these communities displayed during the COVID-19 pandemic, where immigrants often stood as first responders and frontline workers. Once again, they are demonstrating incredible strength by helping to clean up neighborhoods, rebuild homes, and care for others.

Amid this turmoil, an immigration raid occurred on Wednesday, January 8^th in Bakersfield, CA, compounding the distress already felt by these communities. Customs and Border Protection agents conducted a large-scale raid in unmarked SUVs, detaining individuals outside locations such as a Home Depot and a gas station frequented by field workers. This raid—reportedly the first of its scale in California since the election of Donald Trump—took place just one day after Congress certified the presidential election on January 6. The fear and confusion caused by these actions, for both immigrant families and the local businesses that rely on their labor, serve as a stark warning of the potential consequences of policies prioritizing mass deportations.

There are meaningful ways we can support those affected. Below are links to several organizations offering direct assistance to immigrants and their families in Southern California:

• The Pasadena Community Job Center is serving as an Emergency Center for the day laborer community, providing temporary shelter, food, water, and emergency kits.
• The Mutual Aid LA Network (MALAN) has created a public Google spreadsheet with information about food, shelters, animal centers, sources of PPE, as well as volunteer opportunities and places to donate. You can also donate directly to help the group distribute resources on the ground.
• Al Otro Lado is collecting essential supplies for displaced people and migrant workers impacted by the fires.
• National Day Laborer Organization Network (NDLON) is supporting the day labor community with temporary shelter, food, water, and emergency kits at the Pasadena Community Job Center. NDLON-affiliated day laborers have started to clean up debris and offer residents support in finding safety. NDLON is accepting donations through their “Support Immigrant Workers Impacted by the Los Angeles Fires” campaign.
• Comunidades Indigenas en Liderazgo (CIELO) and the Instituto de Educación Popular del Sur de Los Angeles (IDEPSCA) work to support essential workers, like day laborers, housekeepers, domestic workers, nannies, and others, and will certainly be a resource hub for many now facing housing and employment uncertainty because of the wildfires.
• CIELO is an Indigenous women-led non-profit organization that provides services to Indigenous immigrant families. Their donation form can be found here: https://mycielo.org
• World Central Kitchen is also active in the region. The team is collaborating with local restaurants and food service providers to help get meals for emergency fire responders and anyone affected by the wildfires. Donate to help here.
• The Salvation Army is also accepting donations online to help provide emergency aid, shelter, food, and other support for first responders and wildfire victims across Southern California.
• Brewjeria Wildfire Relief Donation Drive – Pico Rivera, CA
• Eastside Cafe Space & Donation Drop Off – El Sereno, Los Angeles, CA

CICW Research Workgroup: SSWR 29^th Annual Conference Presentations

Members of the CICW Research Workgroup will be presenting the following oral paper, symposium, and roundtable at the SSWR 29^th Annual Conference.

Oral Paper: Building the Capacity of Social Service Systems to Serve Unaccompanied Immigrant Transitional Age Youth (TAY) during the Precarious Transition to Adulthood & Illegality

• Author: Kristina Lovato, PhD, Assistant Professor, University of California, Berkeley, CA
• Date & Time: Friday, January 17, 2025: 5:30 PM-7:00 PM (PT)
• Location:Columbia, Level 4 (Sheraton Grand Seattle)

Roundtable: Immigration Policy in the Wake of the 2024 Election: Impacts to Immigrant Communities and Finding a Path Forward

• Organizer: Kristina Lovato, PhD, University of California, Berkeley
• Date & Time: Thursday, January 16, 2025: 3:15 PM-4:45 PM (PT)
• Location: Columbia, Level 4 (Sheraton Grand Seattle)
• Speakers/Presenters: Tatiana Londoño, MSSW, PhD, University of California, Los Angeles; Kerri Evans, PhD, University of Maryland Baltimore County; Robert Hasson, PhD, Providence College, Wendy Cervantes, Center for Law & Social Policy and Cindy Liou, Esq, Kids in Needs of Defense

Symposium: The Importance of Parents’ Wellbeing, Parenting, and Other Family Practices in the Current Socio-Political Immigration Context

• Symposium Organizer: Maryam Rafieifar, PhD, University of Texas at Arlington
• Date & Time: Friday, January 17, 2025, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM (PT)
• Location:Seneca, Level 4 (Sheraton Grand Seattle)
• Discussant:Robin Hernandez-Mekonnen, PhD, Stockton University
• Presenting Authors:
  1. Tatiana Londono, MSSW, PhD, Assistant Professor, University of California, Los Angeles
     Impact of Migration Trauma Exposure on Parent-Child Relationships Among Families from the Northern Triangle of Central America
  2. Cheryl Aguilar, PhD Candidate, Smith College
     What about the Parents? Exploring the Impact of Immigration Separation and Reunification on the Wellbeing and Sense of Self of Central American Parents
  3. Maryam Rafieifar, PhD, Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Arlington, Hui Huang, PhD, Associate Professor, University of Texas at Arlington, and Catalina Canizares Escobar, PhD, New York University
     Parenting Stress in Immigrant Families: Roles of Social Support and Household Dynamics
  4. Kelechi Wright, PhD, Assistant Professor, University of Houston
     Immigrant Perspectives on the Nature of How Child Welfare Prioritizes Culture and Family
  5. Morgan Pardue-Kim, PhD Candidate; Kerri Evans, PhD, Assistant Professor; Celene Viveros Garces, Research Team Member; and Melissa Edmondson Smith, PhD, Associate Professor, University of Maryland, Baltimore.
     Former Unaccompanied Refugee Minors’ Experiences As Parents: A Collaborative Approach