Opportunities

CICW Research Spotlight: Supporting Unaccompanied Immigrant Youth in Transition to Adulthood

Institute for Research on Poverty (IRP) Emerging Scholars Program •  Brookings Institution • Washington, DC • May 27, 2026

Dr. Kristina Lovato presented her research, “Building the Capacity to Serve Unaccompanied Immigrant Transitional-Age Youth During the Transition to Adulthood from Out-of-Home Care,” as part of the Institute for Research on Poverty (IRP) Emerging Scholars Program at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC. The presentation highlighted challenges unaccompanied immigrant transition-age youth face navigating adulthood amid shifting federal policies, and offered recommendations for strengthening child welfare, legal, and community-based support systems in light of reduced protections, including the termination of Deferred Action for SIJ status holders.

23rd Immigration Law & Policy Conference

Migration Policy Institute • November 16, 2026 • Washington, DC & Virtual

The Immigration Law and Policy Conference will bring together leading experts, policymakers, and advocates discussion of major immigration issues. The in-person conference will be held at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, and livestreamed for virtual attendees. Registration will open later this summer.

Call for Papers: JEMS Special Issue on Community-Based Participatory Research with Immigrant and Refugee Communities

Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies • June 16th, 2026

The Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies is seeking submissions for a proposed special issue focusing on how researchers and communities are adapting CBPR methodologies to prioritize safety, trust, and community expertise amid growing sociopolitical threats and surveillance concerns.

Flashback: How Migrant Children Were Detained During President Trump’s First Term

Patrice Toddonio, PBS Frontline (April 29, 2026)

The Emmy-winning 2019 documentary Kids Caught in the Crackdown, which investigated the historic surge in migrant children detained under Trump’s first term and its lasting psychological toll, is now free to stream on YouTube for the first time.

Summit: Child Safety, Security, and Opportunity: Systems-Change for the Next Generation

Children At Risk Thursday • July 16 • 10AM – 12PM CT • Virtual via Zoom

This virtual summit will bring together leaders across workforce, foster care, juvenile justice, and healthcare to explore strategies for better protecting at-risk youth and building community pathways to safety and opportunity.

Now Hiring: Multiple Positions at the Young Center’s Houston Office

The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights

The Young Center’s Houston office is hiring for multiple positions, including a Managing Attorney, Staff Attorney, and Case Support Associate.

Recap: Si Pudiera Quedarme / If I Could Stay Film Screening and Panel Discussion with Faith Based Leaders

UC Berkeley Social Welfare • April 28, 2026

Meeting the Moment: Immigration and Child Welfare at University of Minnesota’s Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare conference

University of Minnesota • Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare • April 22, 2026

CICW Director Kristina Lovato delivered a keynote address at the Meeting the Moment: Immigration and Child Welfare conference in Brooklyn Center, MN. Her talk, Navigating Care Amid Immigration Enforcement: Child Welfare and Social Service Responses to Vulnerable Children and Families, explored how child welfare and social service systems are responding to the needs of children and families affected by immigration enforcement.

Spring 2026 CW360° Publication – Immigration and Child Welfare

Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare, University of Minnesota

This issue of CW360° — featuring contributions from several members of the CICW research workgroup — offers a timely examination of how the current sociopolitical landscape and immigration status shape the lives of families, unaccompanied minors, and transition-age youth navigating an uncertain child welfare landscape.

• Building Equitable Child Welfare Service Systems for Immigrant Families: Models for Specialized Practice
  Sophia Sepp, LMSW, MPH, Kristina Lovato, PhD, MSW, Megan Finno-Velasquez, PhD, LMSW, Effie Clayton, MSW, and Kelechi Chinyere Wright, PhD
• An Examination of Immigration Status and Its Implications for Transition-Age Youth in the Child Welfare System
  Anthony Gómez, PhD, Kristina K. Lovato, PhD, Andrea Lane Eastman, PhD, and Mark E. Courtney, PhD
• Children’s Best Interests vs. Government’s Interests: How Does Immigration Court Differ From Juvenile Court?
  Susan Schmidt, DSW, LGSW
• Supporting Immigrant Children and Families in Child Welfare: A Comprehensive Training Overview
  Megan Finno-Velasquez, PhD, LMSW, & Sophia Sepp, LMSW, MPH, CHES

ISS-USA is seeking Independent Social Work Contractors!

International Social Service-USA

ISS-USA is actively recruiting social work professionals nationwide, with urgent openings in Oregon, New York, Maine, Alabama, and Pennsylvania (bilingual Spanish required).