This report documents the November 16-23, 2013 trip of a delegation from Migration and Refugee Services of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (MRS/USCCB) to
southern Mexico and Central America to explore and understand the situation of
unaccompanied children and youth fleeing from the region.
This is a recording of the The Reuniting Immigrant Families Act: A Case Study on California’s Senate Bill 1064 webinar. Speakers included Yali Lincroft, Consultant, First Focus Campaign for Children; Wendy Cervantes, Vice President, Immigration and Child Rights Policy, First Focus Campaign for Children; Alex Salgado, Legislative Aide to California Senator Kevin de Leon; and Laurie Melrood, Children’s Advocate, Arizona.
Listen to Webinar RecordingThis special issue includes articles that address the intersection between the legal and child welfare systems.
Read Full Journal IssueThis brief, written by Howard Davidson, Director of the ABA Center on Children and the Law, American Bar Association, reviews a number of state appellate court decisions that have involved immigration issues in child welfare cases. For each case, a summary of the appellate court opinion is presented, along with implications for child welfare and legal systems.
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First Focus and the Women’s Refugee Commission led the effort to develop these principles for children in immigration reform to ensure that efforts at immigration reform consider the best interests of children and their families.
Read DocumentOriginally signed in 1994, this bill provides protection and immigration relief options for victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault. The 2013 VAWA strengthens the legislation with increased protections for Native American women and other victims previously left vulnerable by gaps in the law.
Read BillThis illustrated handbook provides immigrant and refugee families with information about topics such as: family well-being, safety and protection, guidance and discipline, healthy brain development, early learning and school readiness, and connecting to early care and education. It is available in multiple languages.
Access HandbookIn light of the dramatic increase in the number of unaccompanied immigrant children crossing the border into the United States due to extreme violence in Central America, this report highlights the responsibility of the U.S. government to provide protection for these children and provides specific recommendations.
Read Full ReportSigned into law October 1, 2012, the Reuniting Immigrant Families Act prioritizes keeping children with their families and out of the public child welfare system when possible. SB1064 authorizes more time for child welfare agencies to find and reunite detained and deported parents with their children or find placement with relatives, regardless of their immigration status. It requires the California Department of Social Services to provide guidance on filing special immigrant relief options and for working with foreign consulates regarding the custody of children of deported parents.
View BillIn light of the complexity of the legal process for unaccompanied children detained by U.S. immigration, this report provides a thorough overview of the system as a resource for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers working to help these children.
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