Researcher Safety Planning
The Im/migrant Well-Being Scholar Collaborative (March 2026)
This resource offers safety planning guidance for academics and scholars working on immigration policy.
Determinants of Mental Health Service Utilization Among Immigrant Caregivers and Their Children in a US-Mexico Border Community
Carolina Villamil Grest, Megan Finno-Velasquez, Irene Casey, & Sophia Sepp; Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health (December 23, 2025)
A study of 240 immigrant families in New Mexico found that help-seeking attitudes and access to coordinated health and social services are key drivers of mental health service use, highlighting the need for culturally informed outreach and integrated care for immigrant families in the border region.
‘Why Is This Happening to Us?’ Daily Number of Kids in ICE Detention Jumps 6x Under Trump
Anna Flagg and Shannon Heffernan, The Marshall Project (January 29, 2026)
According to this Marshall Project analysis, the number of children held in ICE detention has surged more than sixfold under the second Trump administration, from an average of 25 children per day under Biden to around 170.
Family Separation as Policy: The Human Cost for Children
Victoria Walker, US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (February 6, 2026)
This policy brief argues that government-enforced family separation is not merely a regulatory decision but a traumatic severing of family bonds that undermines child welfare, destabilizes communities, and violates children’s fundamental right to safety and belonging.
Dismantling Protections: How ORR Policy Changes Trap Children in Extended Detention
Jonathan Beier, Ruben Ortiz, and Kofi Forkuo-Sekyere; Acacia Center for Justice (September 2025)
This report discusses how recent policy changes within ORR that break down pathways to release are keeping children in detention for prolonged periods of time
Caregiver Guide: Talking to Children about Immigration Enforcement
Immigrant Family Mental Health Advocacy Program, University of Illinois Chicago (December 2025)
This parent-facing brochure offers guidance on how to talk with children about immigration enforcement and raids in their communities.
Changes in Immigrant Eligibility Toolkit
Protecting Immigrant Families (December 8, 2025)
This toolkit clarifies which public benefits — including SNAP, Medicaid, and Head Start — immigrant families may still be eligible for, addressing the confusion around eligibility rules that causes many families to forgo food and nutrition support they qualify for.
The US Deportation System: History, Impacts, and New Empirical Research
Caitlin Patler & Bradford Jones, The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences (November 2025)
This article reviews multidisciplinary research on the U.S. deportation system and its implications for individuals, families, communities, and the U.S. economy while identifying gaps and directions for future research.
Considerations for Unaccompanied Immigrant Children in the Child Welfare Reform Debate
Zayna Lyon, Kerri Evans, Linda-Jeanne M. Mack, and Morgan Pardue-Kim; Families in Society (February 8, 2025)
This article examines how the debate over abolishing or reforming the child welfare system has overlooked unaccompanied immigrant children served by ORR, calling for greater access to ORR data and more participatory research to inform policy and practice.
New Frameworks for Language Access: Tracking the Expansion and Features of State and Local Laws and Policies
Jacob Hofstetter, Migration Policy Institute (January 2026)
This report examines the growing importance of state and local language access policies as federal protections weaken, finding that these efforts are vital for meeting the everyday communication needs of governments and their communities.
