Taking Action to Support Immigrant Families & HBCC Providers and Caregivers

When Nayeli¹ moved to the United States from her hometown in Mexico, she already had more than a decade of experience caring for children. As the oldest child, she had been expected to help care for her younger siblings. What started as a duty grew to a calling she loved. Upon immigrating to the U.S., Nayeli continued as a family, friend and neighbor (FFN) caregiver supporting the community around her. She cared for her nephews and other children from immigrant families while she raised her own children. At times she struggled to navigate child care systems, like when her post-secondary education was unrecognized within the United States, but she continued her work as a caregiver. 

Now with 32 years of experience, Nayeli works at a child care center and takes care of her grandson at home. Like many home-based caregivers who are immigrants, she has become a trusted advocate for more-recent immigrants, assisting them to find food, clothing, and jobs and to navigate school and other systems. Nayeli shared, “I want people to know that I and most immigrants – even those who have legal residency – live with fear, uncertainty, and racism” that comes with being an immigrant of color.

Immigrants have always been an invaluable part of home-based child care in the U.S., with 22% of child care workers being immigrants. A large portion of children ages birth to 5 years old – 25% – are in immigrant families, and children of immigrants are more likely to be in family, friend and neighbor care and other home-based child care. 

In the months ahead of the 2024 presidential election, communities experienced an increase in anti-immigrant rhetoric from various candidates and increased incidents of harassment of people viewed as immigrants. The new presidential administration has begun making sweeping changes to immigration policies that will have a detrimental impact on immigrant families and their young children. We know that similar policy changes in the past had a negative impact on the child care workforce. 

Here are some things we can do to help immigrant families and colleagues:

1. Update emergency contacts. Encourage parents/guardians to designate a trusted relative or friend who can take care of their children should they be detained or unable to care for their children. Ask parents/guardians to share the name and contact information of their emergency contact with you so that you know who to call if the parent unexpectedly does not come to pick up their child. The Women’s Refugee Commission has created a helpful Make A Plan resource guide to parenting family separation, available in English and Spanish.

2. Know your rights.  Whether or not you are an immigrant, you have rights when dealing with immigration and other law enforcement officials. If Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) comes to your home, you can deny them access if they do not have a valid warrant. You can share the Know Your Rights resources below with parents and people in your community. *Please note that the new administration ended the policy protecting schools and child care from immigration enforcement activities. However, you can take steps to stay informed, and create a welcoming environment for immigrant families and staff. 

• Know Your Rights “Red Cards” (many languages available)
• Know Your Rights printable (many languages available)
• ICE Home Poster (many languages available)
• A Guide to Creating “Safe Space” Policies for Early Childhood Programs

3. Connect with your community helpers. Some immigrant families may unexpectedly lose their jobs or access to benefits. Many communities have organizations sensitive to immigration issues that provide people with food, clothing, shelter, mental health support, health care, and sometimes free legal assistance – regardless of their immigration status.

• Informed Immigrant Immigrant Services Directory
• CLINIC Social Services & Legal Support Directory
• National Immigration Legal Services Directory
• iAmerica SEIU Legal Services Directory 

4. Be mindful of the emotional strain. The constant threat of deportation can create enormous stress on families that children also pick up on. Be aware of how this might impact adults’ and children’s emotional well-being. You can be a source of support and stability by providing extra comfort and moments of joy with children. Also, be understanding if the parent/guardian doesn’t want to share information with you or take you up on your offers of support. And be sure to take care of yourself as well.

• Mental Health Directories for Communities of Color
• Sesame Street Emotional Well-Being

5. Find reliable and trustworthy news sources. The current presidential administration has used threats to scare and intimidate immigrants and their allies and to discourage them from accessing public services and legal representation they are entitled to. Immigrant rights organizations monitor changes in policy and can be a reliable source of information about what the changes mean for families and children. Be careful not to feed into rumors and don’t amplify fear tactics.

• United We Dream
• National Immigration Law Center
• American Civil Liberties Union
• American Immigration Council Fact Sheet

6. Get involved. We can all take action to make our community and country more welcoming and supportive of immigrants. Volunteer or donate money or supplies to local immigrant organizations or join mutual aid and other informal neighborhood or faith-based networks. Look for ways you can advocate for immigrant-friendly policies in your area and nationally. Sign up for advocacy alerts or a work group with one of the organizations mentioned. If you notice someone being harassed by another person because they are seen as an immigrant, consider intervening to help stop the interaction and provide support to the person.

• Children Thrive Action Network
• Bystander Intervention Video

Home Grown stands with immigrant families, providers, and caregivers and for their safety, dignity, and well-being. FFN caregivers in the Home Grown community have named immigration rights as a policy priority along with fair compensation and mental health supports for providers and caregivers. We encourage the people in our networks to take actions to protect their immigrant neighbors and to fight for their rights. Home Grown has compiled a list of resources to support immigrant families providers and caregivers during this crucial time. We also welcome you to share resources like those above with us at info@homegrownchildcare.org.

 ¹At the caregiver’s request, we are using a pseudonym to protect her identity.