Impending Raids will Harm Children, Families, and Communities

This statement can be attributed to Wendy Cervantes, director of Immigration and Immigrant Families at the Center for Law and Social Policy.

Washington, DC, July 11, 2019—The Center for Law and Social Policy condemns the reportedly imminent raids on immigrant families, representing the latest move by the Trump Administration to undermine the safety and wellbeing of vulnerable children and families—this time in the interior of the United States.

Immigration enforcement actions cause long-term developmental harm to children. We know from our own research that children in immigrant families are already living in constant fear of losing a parent to deportation, with even very young children exhibiting symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Raids that occur in a home setting can be particularly scary for children, especially because these operations often happen very early in the morning while children are still sleeping. In our own interviews with early childhood providers and parents, we heard about disturbing ICE practices during home raids such as children being interrogated without their parents.

Because this administration has shown little regard for providing the most basic needs for vulnerable, asylum-seeking children on the border and has already separated thousands of families, we are gravely concerned that children—some of whom are U.S. citizens—will be needlessly traumatized or separated from loved ones.

The consequences of massive raids extend far beyond those people who are apprehended or arrested. Large-scale enforcement actions inflict chaos, fear, and instability on entire communities. We are committed to doing all we can to continue pushing back against the Trump Administration’s anti-immigrant and anti-child agenda and helping support children and families at risk.