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.
