This report examines the rise in habeas corpus petitions filed on behalf of unaccompanied children, a novel strategy to win release from prolonged ORR custody caused by cumbersome sponsor vetting and organizational inefficiencies.
This systematic review finds that trauma-informed, culturally responsive services coordinated across legal, educational, health, and community settings strengthen stability and long-term well-being for unaccompanied immigrant children, while gaps in legal protections and service coordination point to the need for rights-centered policies.
This report draws on interviews with California community health workers and promotores to show how immigration enforcement and policy changes are compounding economic pressures and making it harder for immigrant families to safely access health care and other essential supports.
A pilot study of a school-based immigrant rights education program found high levels of empowerment and well-being among 137 participants, with a direct link between legal rights empowerment and psychological well-being across all three program versions.
A study of nearly 400,000 immigration court cases finds that unaccompanied minors’ access to legal representation is shaped not only by geography and resource availability but also by client characteristics like gender, age, nationality, and Indigeneity, highlighting deep inequities in who receives counsel in removal proceedings.
This study of 13 jurisdictions finds that few children are entering foster care immediately after parental deportation, likely because relatives and trusted adults are stepping in, but warns that limited access to support could make this a growing concern over time.
This comprehensive resource addresses key questions about unaccompanied immigrant children, from migration risks and policy frameworks to the agencies responsible for housing, processing, and determining the legal status of these children.
This study finds that immigrant families with little direct knowledge of the U.S. child welfare system still hold strong beliefs about it, shaped by media and community narratives, highlighting the need for culturally responsive, multilingual outreach from child welfare agencies and immigrant-serving organizations.
This Migration Policy Institute interactive data tool offers 2024 state-by-state immigration profiles covering demographics, language and education, workforce, and income and poverty statistics.
This report documents that over 400 of the more than 1,200 immigration enforcement incidents examined across eight states involved agent misconduct during Trump’s second term, and offers recommendations for reform of a broken system.
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