Our Children’s Fear: Immigration Policy’s Effects on Young Children

Click here to read the executive summary in Spanish.

This study from CLASP was motivated by widespread reports that children and families are being harmed by the Trump Administration’s immigration policy priorities. We confirmed many of these reports after speaking with 150 early childhood educators and parents in six states—California, Georgia, Illinois, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. Children of immigrants matter to America’s future, so our public policies must be designed to ensure that all children are able to achieve their full potential. Without changing course, we as a nation will also pay a heavy price as our future prosperity will be largely determined by the extent to which our increasingly diverse U.S. child population is able to succeed.

The companion piece to this report, Immigration Policy’s Harmful Impacts on Early Care and Education, includes recommendations to help professionals in the early care and education community support immigrant families dealing with the consequences of the Trump Administration’s rhetoric and actions.