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Mar 30
0

The Scars of Family Detention and Separation in the U.S. Immigration System

By | Deportation, Detention, Family Separation, Highlighted Resources, Immigrant Families Research, Research, Research Highlight, Trauma

The Scars of Family Detention and Separation in the U.S. Immigration System

Shantel Meek, Xigrid Soto-Boykin, Tunette Powell, Key Edyburn, Darielle Blevins, Cinthia Palomino, & Gladys Aponte; The Children’s Equity Project at Arizona State University (February 2026)

This research brief warns that since family detention centers reopened in March 2025, the number of detained families has more than tripled while a growing number of others have lost a parent to deportation, causing documented harm to children’s development, mental health, and education.

Mar 30
0

Health and Health Care Experiences of Immigrant Parents and Their Children During the Second Trump Term

By | Highlighted Resources, Immigrant Families Research, Immigration Enforcement, Research, Research Highlight

Health and Health Care Experiences of Immigrant Parents and Their Children During the Second Trump Term

Drishti Pillai, Alisha Rao, Samantha Artiga, Shannon Schumacher, and Liz Hamel; Kaiser Family Foundation (March 2, 2026)

This brief presents survey data on the health and healthcare experiences of immigrant parents and their children in the US, highlighting the impact of the current immigration policy environment on families, the majority of whose children are US citizens.

Feb 28
0

Determinants of Mental Health Service Utilization Among Immigrant Caregivers and Their Children in a US-Mexico Border Community

By | Highlighted Resources, Immigrant Families Research, Research, Research Highlight

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.

Feb 28
0

‘Why Is This Happening to Us?’ Daily Number of Kids in ICE Detention Jumps 6x Under Trump

By | Detention, ICE, Immigrant Families Research, Immigration Enforcement, Research, Research Highlight

‘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.

Feb 01
0

The US Deportation System: History, Impacts, and New Empirical Research

By | Deportation, Immigrant Families Research, Research, Research Highlight

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.

Feb 01
0

Considerations for Unaccompanied Immigrant Children in the Child Welfare Reform Debate

By | Child Welfare System Research, Foster Care, Immigrant Youth, Research, Research Highlight, Unaccompanied Minors

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.

 

Feb 01
0

New Frameworks for Language Access: Tracking the Expansion and Features of State and Local Laws and Policies,

By | Immigrant Families Research, Language Issues, Research, Research Highlight

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.

Dec 30
0

The Fear is Everywhere: U.S. High School Principals Report Widespread Effects of Immigration Enforcement

By | Highlighted Resources, Immigrant Families Research, Immigration Enforcement, Research, Research Highlight

The Fear is Everywhere: U.S. High School Principals Report Widespread Effects of Immigration Enforcement

John Rogers and Joseph Kahne, UCLA’s Institute for Democracy, Education, and Access (December 2025)

This report, based on a national survey of 606 high school principals ,examines how intensified immigration enforcement during the early months of Trump’s second term affected U.S. schools.

Dec 30
0

Impacts of Immigration Policies on Families

By | Highlighted Resources, Immigrant Families Research, Immigration Enforcement, Legal/Law, Research, Research Highlight

Impacts of Immigration Policies on Families

Leisy J. Abrego & Lucia León, Annual Review of Sociology (January 23, 2025)

This review examines how the complex U.S. immigration system affects immigrant families’ access to opportunity, health, education, and safety. It urges scholars to study impacts from the migration journey through settlement while centering ethics in research with families made vulnerable by immigration laws.

Nov 30
0

Changing Origins, Rising Numbers: Unauthorized Immigrants in the United States

By | Immigrant Families Research, Research, Research Highlight

Changing Origins, Rising Numbers: Unauthorized Immigrants in the United States

Julia Gelatt, Ariel G. Ruiz Soto and James D. Bachmeier, Migration Policy Institute (October 2025)

This fact sheet provides an updated analysis of the undocumented immigrant population in the United States, showing that 6.3 million children live with at least one undocumented parent, and the majority of these children are U.S. citizens.

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