Child experts from around the country met virtually Thursday to discuss how government policies affect immigrant children. The Texas-based Children at Risk hosted the forum, which delved into topics like border enforcement, education and health care.
In recent months, both Texas and Florida have pass enforcement bills, but participants said there hasn’t been much discussion about how these impact children.
Wendy Cervantes, Director of Immigration and Immigrant Families at The Center for Law and Social Policy, says one concern of hers is the increased collaboration between federal and local law enforcement agencies.
“That’s specifically because these collaborations create a climate of fear for immigrants who may be more reluctant to drive or interact with local police because of fear of being turned over to ICE because of a routine traffic stop or even just reaching out to a police for help.”
Cervantes says it’s also troubling because immigrants of color are more likely to be victims of racial profiling.
Child experts say there should be more discussion about how some immigration policies harm children. For example, research has shown that the fear of potentially losing a parent can have a long-term impact on the development of a child.
“I also think it’s worthwhile to note that it’s actually public outcry and response to the harm on kids that has actually led to policy change at different points in time,” Cervantes said.
Cervantes recalls the criticism the Trump administration received over its family separation policy, which was ultimately ended.
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