Understanding the Needs of Immigrant Families Who Are Involved in the Public Child Welfare System: A Case for Transformation

The debate regarding much needed reform or abolition of the child welfare system has not centered the experiences of children from immigrant families who are at significant risk of child welfare involvement and immigration enforcement due to the increasingly punitive anti-immigrant immigration policy climate in the United States. Through a detailed analysis, this article reveals the reasoning for reform so the child welfare system can better serve these youth and their immigrant families’ needs. This article centers the unique experiences and needs of youth and immigrant families at the intersection of immigration enforcement and child welfare involvement. We propose a radical reform of the child welfare system’s policy and practices to better serve the needs of immigrant children and families who are at significant risk of dual systems involvement and forced family separation. Policy and practice recommendations aim to enhance service delivery and equity for children and immigrant families in the child welfare system.