What Moms Want in 2026: Child Care Investments and Safety for Kids

Immigrants are essential to the care workforce, making up 20% of child care workers, including 26% of center-based child care providers and early educators, and 23% of preschool teachers, according to the Center for Law and Social Policy.

Children in immigrant families make up one-quarter of all children in the United States and represent the fastest-growing segment of the country’s increasingly diverse child population. Yet immigrant children and families are more likely to be low income and face systemic barriers to health and nutrition supports. Harsh immigration enforcement policies also threaten the safety and well-being of the millions of children in mixed-status families. CLASP advocates for federal and state policy reforms to promote health, economic security, and overall success for immigrant children, youth, and families.

Featured Expert:

Wendy Cervantes

Director, Immigration and Immigrant Families

Immigrant Children and Families

New from CLASP

December 20, 2025 | News Clip | Children, Youth, & Families

What Moms Want in 2026: Child Care Investments and Safety for Kids

December 03, 2025 | News Clip | Children, Youth, & Families

Stronger Together: the Benefits of Joining Nonprofit Networks

November 26, 2025 | News Clip | Children, Youth, & Families

Nuevo giro en la regla de ‘public charge’ contra inmigrantes: comentarios abiertos hasta el 19 de diciembre

November 20, 2025 | News Clip | Children, Youth, & Families

Child care workers are building a network of resistance against ICE

November 18, 2025 | Press Release | Children, Youth, & Families

Public Charge Proposal Threatens the Health and Well-being of Immigrant Families and All Communities

Increasing Enrollment, Improving Outcomes

Our Advancing Strategies to Align Programs (ASAP) project helps state-level advocates increase enrollment in work support programs, including Medicaid and SNAP, through more integrated systems. There is strong evidence that work supports improve people’s immediate and long-term health as well as their educational and economic outcomes. Research also shows that receiving the full package of benefits—not just one program—is especially effective.

ASAP Project Overview