Child-Family Separation and Pathways to Reunification in the Context of U.S. Immigration Enforcement
Child-Family Separation and Pathways to Reunification in the Context of U.S. Immigration Enforcement
Georgetown Collaborative on Global Children’s Issues (July 13, 2026)
This report examines how family separation is occurring across the U.S., identifies gaps in government data that hinder reunification efforts, and offers child- and family-centered policy and practice recommendations for protecting family unity while enforcing immigration law.
Caregiving in Crisis
Suma Setty, Kaelin Rapport, and Emily Rodriguez, CLASP (April 16, 2026)
This report based on interviews with 67 early care and education providers across seven states details how federal immigration enforcement is destabilizing the workers and systems that support the nation’s youngest children.
What About My Children: Family Separation Among Parents Deported to Honduras
Women’s Refugee Commission (March 18, 2026)
This report finds ICE routinely violated its own family unity and medical care policies, deporting parents without allowing them to make arrangements for their children and failing to provide adequate care for pregnant and postpartum women.
“Los Padres Tienen Miedo” Early Educators Describe the Harmful Effects of Immigration Enforcement in Early Care Settings
National Association for the Education of Young Children (April 2026)
This data brief warns that the rollback of sensitive locations protections is endangering children, families, and early childhood educators—with nearly one in five programs reporting enrollment impacts and one in three seeing increased disruptions tied to immigration enforcement.
Even the Playground Isn’t Safe: How Immigration Policies are Harming Our Youngest Children
Suma Setty, Kaelin Rapport, CLASP (April 16, 2026)
This report draws on interviews with 56 immigrant parents and 67 service providers across seven states to paint a stark picture of how the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement has destabilized families with young children, eroding their sense of safety in even the most everyday spaces.
How many children are affected by parental immigrant detention?
Brookings Institution (May 13, 2026)
This interactive tool estimates how many children — including U.S. citizens — have likely been separated from a detained parent under different enforcement scenarios.
Explainer for Parents and Their Helpers Seeking Family Reunification
Georgetown Collaborative on Global Children’s Issues (May 15, 2026)
This guide for detained or deported parents and caregivers explains their legal rights and available resources to help them make the best decisions for their children, whether their children are staying with neighbors, in foster care, or in ORR custody. Esta guía también está disponible en español.
Immigration Enforcement Affected Both Immigrant and Nonimmigrant Families Across the US in 2025
Hamutal Bernstein, Dulce Gonzalez, Diana Guelespe, Urban Institute (April 8, 2026)
This analysis finds that nearly half of Americans aware of immigration enforcement in their communities feared ICE contact in 2025, with ripple effects extending beyond immigrant families — including children experiencing emotional distress, adults avoiding essential activities, and families forgoing public benefits.
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.
