Deportation: Things Immigrant Families Can Do Now to Protect Loved Ones

Top Left: American Immigration Council, Top Right: The Hill,
Bottom Left: VCG/Qian Weizhong, Bottom Right: KERA News.

By Sam Piha

Create A Safety Plan 

Many immigrant family advocates suggest that immigrant families, regardless of status, should create a safety plan in case family members are taken into custody by ICE. The safety plan can be shared with parents. The National Immigrant Justice Center provides steps for creating this plan below.

• “Identify your emergency contacts and list and memorize their phone numbers. 
• Provide your child’s school or day care with an emergency contact to pick up your child.  
• Provide authorization in writing for your emergency contact to make medical and legal decisions for your child. 
• Tell your loved ones that if you are detained by ICE, they can try to use ICE’s online detainee locator to find you: https://locator.ice.gov/odls/#/search.” [i]

“Right now, we haven’t made a plan because you don’t want to accept it, but I don’t know,” she said. ‘It would probably be good to make a plan, but sometimes you just don’t want to accept it yourself. She asked me, ‘What if they take you while I’m in class? Who will pick me up? Where will I go?’” [ii]

Mobilization for Justice advises, “The simplest way to plan for your child’s care is by filling out a Parental Designation form. Contact MFY Legal Services for a sample parental designation form. This form gives another person temporary authority to help your child get medical care, enroll in school, and get public assistance. 



• You choose the person. It can be any person you trust to care for your child. You and the person both have to sign the form. 
• You are not required to go to Family Court. You do not give up any rights over your child by filling out a Parental Designation form, and you can revoke it at any time. 
• The form is valid for six months if it is notarized. It is only valid for one month if it is not notarized. You can re-sign the form as many times as needed. 
• If your child has special medical needs, or if the other person will be caring for your child indefinitely, the person designated may need to go to Family Court to get a legal order for Custody or Guardianship. Additional information on Custody and Guardianship may be found on the “Caregivers/Relatives” side of this guide. Please contact Mobilization for Justice for more information about this.

Update emergency contact information at your child’s school. Add contact information for adults who can pick up your child if you become unavailable. Also update the emergency contact information with your child’s doctor, school bus, and after school programs. 

Make copies of your child’s important documents. Leave copies with an adult who will be able to care for your child if you are deported or unavailable to care for them.” [1]

Also, Mobilization for Justice advises immigrant families to:

• “Seek A Legal Consultation: With private attorneys: Call the American Immigration Lawyers Association at 1-800-954-0254 for a referral. With nonprofit organizations that employ U.S. licensed attorneys or Department of Justice accredited representatives: A list of these organizations can be found at Immigration Advocates Network.
• Collect Your Documents in A Safe Place: Keep your identity information and financial information in a safe location. Gather documents showing the length of time you have been in the United States; the most recent two years are most important. This can include U.S. income tax returns, utility bills, leases, school records, medical records, bank records, or other documents. Make sure your emergency contact can access all of these documents. Read and practice NIJC’s guidance on what to do if you encounter ICE in your community.
• Avoid Immigration Fraud: Only seek legal advice from an attorney or an accredited representative at a Department of Justice-recognized nonprofit organization. Lawyers must have a license from a U.S. state to practice law. Ask to see their law license. Law licenses from other countries do not authorize the practice of law in the United States.  Accredited representatives must be accredited and work for a nonprofit agency recognized by the Department of Justice. Ask to see their accreditation documents. Never sign an application with false information and never sign a blank form. Ask for copies of everything you sign. 

If the advice sounds too good to be true, get a second opinion before filing an immigration application. Read NIJC’s full guidance on how to avoid immigration fraud. 

• Be Alert for Digital Scams: Be skeptical of social media posts promising new or quick immigration relief. The U.S. government (including Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and State Department) will never contact you via WhatsApp or social media. With limited exceptions, such as people who are released from detention and told they must check in with ICE via telephone, the U.S. government generally does not contact individuals by phone. 

If you receive an unexpected message or phone call from someone who claims they are an immigration officer or other government official, do not respond or share personal information. Do not wire or transfer money to pay a “processing fee” or for any other reason.  If in doubt, consult an attorney or accredited representative before taking any action. Avoid sharing unverified information on social media.

• Know And Defend Your Rights: No matter the immigration status, everyone has rights under the United States Constitution. Know your rights and what to do if Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) comes to your child’ school.” [2] To learn more about your rights, click here.

Source: www.pexels.com

According to the National Immigrant Justice Center, “All persons in the United States have constitutional protections, including the right to remain silent when questioned or arrested by immigration officers. Being stopped by immigration officers or other law enforcement can be frightening, but it’s important to stay calm. During any encounter with law enforcement, it’s important to do the following:

• Stay calm and don’t run, argue, resist, or fight the officer, even if you believe your rights are being violated or you are being treated unfairly. Keep your hands where police can see them, and tell them if you need to reach into a glove compartment or for a wallet to show your papers.
• Don’t lie about your status or provide false documents.
• If you are pulled over in a traffic stop: Ask if the officer is from the police department or immigration. Immigration officers often identify themselves as “police,” but they are not police. Ask if they are from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or Customs and Border Protection (CBP). If they are immigration officers, follow these guidelines about what information to provide.   
• If you are a U.S. citizen or have lawful immigration status: Show your passport, legal permanent resident card, work permit, or other documentation of your status. If you are over the age of 18, you should carry your papers with you at all times.
• If you are undocumented: You have the right to remain silent and do not have to discuss your immigration or citizenship status with the police, immigration agents, or other officials. Anything you tell an officer can later be used against you in immigration court.
• If an officer knocks on your door: Do not open the door. Teach your children not to open the door. Officers must have a warrant signed by a judge to enter your home. ICE “warrants” are not signed by judges; they are ICE forms signed by ICE officers and they do not grant authority to enter a home without consent of the occupant(s).
• If you are outdoors and think you see immigration officers nearby:
• Move to a safe indoor space
• If you are a U.S. citizen and feel safe to do so, record the activity with your phone or write down any relevant information about what you witness—ALWAYS being careful to not interfere or otherwise obstruct the operation

DO NOT:

• Post unverified information on social media
• Interfere with the investigation or otherwise put yourself in harm’s way.” [3]

For a full briefing paper on countering the threat of deportation, click here.

END NOTES:

[1] Mobilization for Justice, Family Plan for Parents Preparing for Potential Deportation
[2] Mobilization for Justice, Know Your Rights: What to Do If Ice Comes To Your School
[3] National Immigrant Justice Center, What “mass deportations” might look like 

Ask Congress to protect 21st CCLC and other youth funding!

"The President proposed a budget that appears to eliminate 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program. 21st CCLC is the only federal funding stream dedicated to afterschool and summer programs, supporting thousands of local programs across the nation. The proposed Executive Budget also levies enormous cuts on the Department of Education and other agencies that support afterschool and summer programs and the youth and families they serve." - New York State Network for Youth Success  Read Afterschool Alliance's blog here.

Trump and Afterschool- What You Need to Know

Source: Google Gemini AI Generated Image

By Sam Piha

Given the rapid pace of President Trump’s executive orders and announcements, we thought it was important to get the latest on the impacts on afterschool funding. To learn more we interviewed Erik Peterson, Senior Vice President of Policy at the Afterschool Alliance. See our questions and his responses below. 

Q: We know that Trump's executive actions will have a large impact on schools. Anything here we should be alerted to?

Erik Peterson

A: There are several Presidential Actions or Executive Orders that are impacting or will impact schools. We have seen Executive Orders target specific educational practices, such as diversity, equity and inclusion programs and teaching about certain topics like race or gender, and some schools are making changes to how they approach or teach these topics as a result. The Executive Order on school discipline could influence local district policies on discipline by potentially limiting certain approaches to discipline and impacting how schools deal with student behavior, possibly creating a more restrictive environment. 

The Executive Order promoting educational freedom and choice by expanding options for families, such as school vouchers or alternative educational settings, does not yet appear to have had a widespread impact on schools, but could potentially shift resources and influence how families choose their children's education.  

Executive Orders and agency policies on immigration and deportation have reportedly impacted school and afterschool attendance and the feeling of a safe school environment. Many of the Orders are being challenged through the federal justice system, and state and local laws or policies can run counter to the Executive Orders. Afterschool programs can share the impact of these, or other Executive Orders as well as grant terminations here: https://3to6.co/2025stories

Q: We know that any actions that impact schools may affect afterschool programs. However, there are more direct actions, such as the threat to 21st Century Community Learning Centers. Do we have any definitive news about funding that goes directly to afterschool programs? 

A: The proposed “skinny” budget for FY 26 released by the Trump Administration on May 2 would have a devastating impact on schools, if Congress chooses to follow the proposal. The budget proposal seeks to cut the Department of Education budget by $12.4 billion (15% from current level). It proposes a cut of $4.535 billion across K-12 programs; although mostly preserves Title I funding (it does propose to eliminate $428 million from Title I, Part C “Migrant Education and Special Programs for Migrant Students” which aim to ensure that all children of migratory farm workers and fishers reach challenging academic standards.)   

The budget proposes a $2 billion block grant for 18 other K-12 programs into a new “K-12 Simplified Funding Program;” and proposes level funding for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as well as a new "Special Education Simplified Funding Program" that consolidates seven unnamed IDEA programs. Finally, the “skinny” budget seeks to eliminate TRIO, GEAR UP, Federal Work Study, and the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) program. There is a proposed funding increase of $60 million for Charter Schools, which would bring total funding for the federal charter school program to $500 million.



Source: Camp EDMO

With regard to afterschool programs specifically, the “skinny” budget proposal appears to eliminate the current, dedicated $1.329 billion 21st CCLC program through the proposed consolidation of 18 education discretionary and formula grant programs into one block grant totaling only $2 billion; and then proposing to cut the existing programs by $4.535 billion. It is possible afterschool and summer could be an allowable use of the new “K-12 Simplified Funding Program” for schools, however that means 21st CCLC funding as we know it would be eliminated as community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, etc., would no longer be eligible for grants, and activity funding for capacity supports/professional development would go away. 

The full budget proposal from the President is expected later in May or in June. Again, it is important to emphasize that this is a proposal only; Congress can reject it as they did similar proposals to eliminate 21st CCLC from President Trump in his budgets from 2017-2020.

Q: For those who wish to advocate to preserve funding for afterschool, do you have any thoughts? 

A: Advocates, partners, young people, and friends of afterschool and summer programs have a range of actions they can take. Reaching out to your Senators and Representatives is a first step – sharing the impact of afterschool and summer programs and how federal funding for these programs supports children, youth, families, and communities, being specific as possible. Advocates can also make sure local and state elected officials are aware of the importance of federal afterschool and summer funding as well and ask their help in making the case for ongoing funding. Perhaps the best strategy is site visits, working to get Members of Congress and their staff to visit local afterschool or summer programs and see firsthand the impact these programs are having. A site visit toolkit can be found here: https://afterschoolalliance.org/reachPolicySiteVisit.cfm  and more ways to advocate can be found here: https://afterschoolworksforamerica.org/ 

Another important thought on funding for afterschool programs, is that the federal uncertainty is an opportunity to continue the progress at the state level for advocating for state afterschool and summer funding. In the past several years we have seen more than 10 new states begin investing in afterschool and/or summer learning opportunities, bringing the total to 27. State funding streams can reflect the needs of local communities and can help make federal investments go further, and the 50 statewide afterschool networks have been key leaders and partners in expanding state funding for local programs. For more on the state afterschool funding landscape see:  https://www.afterschoolalliance.org/afterschoolsnack/2024-in-review-New-state-investments-help-grow-support-for_01-09-2025.cfm

Q: For those who wish to send a letter to their Congressperson advocating for afterschool funding, do you have any suggestions on what they should emphasize, such as the number of kids that may be impacted, etc.?



A: Advocates should emphasize the impact the program is having on children, families and community. Providing number of students served, as well as any outcomes from evaluations covering academics and other supports, can help paint the picture of how valuable these programs are. Anecdotes that provide specifics of how the programs are helping families are valuable. Describing what might happen if the program loses funding is also important. Finally, the messenger is important as well - parents reaching out to Congress about how important these programs are can help illustrate why funding must not be eliminated or reduced.

MORE ABOUT...

Erik Peterson joined the Afterschool Alliance in July 2009 and coordinates and advances the Afterschool Alliance’s policy efforts at the federal level by helping develop policy goals and implementing strategies that advance access to quality afterschool and summer learning programs for all. Erik works to build and strengthen relationships with policy makers and allied organizations to increase public support and funding for out of school time programs. Prior to coming to the Afterschool Alliance, Erik worked for the School Nutrition Association (SNA) in the Washington DC area, and as both an AmeriCorps VISTA and staff for the Sustainable Food Center in Austin, Texas. 

The Afterschool Alliance works to ensure that all youth have access to affordable, quality afterschool programs by engaging public will to increase public and private investment in afterschool program initiatives at the national, state, and local levels. They are an effective voice for afterschool in efforts to expand quality affordable afterschool and summer programs. The Alliance serves as an information source on afterschool programs and resources and encourages the development of local, state, and national afterschool constituencies and systems. The Alliance strives to communicate the impact of afterschool programs on children, families, and communities. 

President Calls for Elimination of Afterschool and Summer Funding

Source: www.pexels.com

According to Google AI, “Here's a breakdown of President Trump's afterschool policies, particularly his budget proposals, have had a significant impact on afterschool programs, primarily through proposed cuts and changes to federal funding streams. Here's a breakdown of the key impacts:

• Proposed Elimination of 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) Funding: The 21st CCLC program is the largest federal funding source specifically for afterschool and summer learning programs. President Trump's administration repeatedly proposed eliminating 21st CCLC funding, arguing the program lacked evidence of effectiveness. These proposals, if enacted, would have led to the loss of afterschool and summer programs serving millions of children and families, particularly in high-poverty areas. 


• Proposed Cuts to Other Education Programs Supporting Afterschool: Trump's budget proposals also included cuts to other federal programs that indirectly support afterschool, such as Title II (Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants) and Title IV Part A (Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants). These cuts would have further reduced resources available to states and localities for afterschool and related enrichment activities. 

• Consolidation and Block Granting Proposals: Some proposals aimed to consolidate various K-12 programs, including afterschool and summer learning funding, into a single block grant. This approach raised concerns about the potential for reduced funding for afterschool specifically and a loss of focus on the unique needs of these programs. 

• Impact of Overall Education Budget Cuts: President Trump's budget proposals generally sought to reduce the overall budget for the Department of Education. This could have resulted in reduced capacity for federal oversight, technical assistance, and innovation in afterschool programming.  

• Bipartisan Opposition and Congressional Action: While the Trump administration proposed these cuts, afterschool programs generally enjoyed strong bipartisan support in Congress. Congress often rejected the proposed cuts and maintained or even increased funding for programs like 21st CCLC.  

In Summary: President Trump's policies towards afterschool programs were largely characterized by proposed funding cuts and shifts in federal education policy. While some proposals were not enacted due to Congressional opposition, they created uncertainty and challenges for afterschool programs relying on federal support.” [i]

Source: Boost Cafe

According to Afterschool Alliance, “The President’s proposed ‘skinny’ budget for 2026 puts funding for afterschool and summer programs via 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) at risk. The proposal appears to eliminate entirely or collapse 21st CCLC into a consolidated grant program, lumping 18 programs together without enough funding for them all. Please urge your representatives in Congress to sustain this funding! [See Erik Peterson, Senior Vice President of Policy, Afterschool Alliance Afterschool Snack Blog here.]



21st CCLC supports nearly 1.4 million youth in programs in every state. Remind them of the importance of local afterschool and summer learning programs.

It supports 10,000 local programs serving nearly 1.4 million across the nation. The President’s proposal appears to eliminate entirely or collapse 21st CCLC into a consolidated grant program, lumping 18 programs into a fund to be sent to states without enough money to pay for them. With $12 billion in cuts to education programs overall, the consolidation effectively eliminates 21st CCLC afterschool and summer program grants. 

The need for afterschool has never been greater: for every child in a program, 4 are waiting to get in. Help make sure those doors stay open. Ask our leaders to act.
 

Please take a minute to make a phone call to your elected officials. A phone call helps show how much this issue matters to you! Don’t stop there:

- To help get the word out, use the tools at 3to6.co/Challenge. 
 

- See how the proposed cut could affect your state at AfterschoolWorksforAmerica.org

Federal support is essential to help the nearly 25 million children and youth who would be in an afterschool program if one were available. Increased program costs are making it harder for afterschool providers to serve families and children. In communities nationwide the need cannot be greater for math and reading enrichment, healthy activity and nutritious snacks, and hands-on, engaging activities that help children learn and grow.



Please take two minutes to send a message to Congress in support of afterschool and summer learning programs." [ii]

END NOTE:

[i] Google AI, How Have Trump’s Policies Impact Afterschool Programs?

[ii] Afterschool Alliance, Don't Eliminate Afterschool and Summer Funding in FY 2026

Deportation: How to Talk with Your Kids and Staff Education and Training

Source: www.pexels.com

By Sam Piha

Many afterschool programs serve immigrant families. Many of these families have fears about the latest deportation campaign and how best to handle themselves, should ICE show up. These fears are shared by children and may be expressed at home or in the afterschool program. This raises the question of how best to talk with kids about their fears. It may be best to communicate with adult family members on how this is being dealt with within the family and share the advice of this blog.

According to Google AI, “When talking to children about the possibility of deportation, be honest and age-appropriate, reassure them of your love and support, and focus on their family's plan to stay safe and together. Here's a more detailed guide:

1. Explain in Simple Terms:

• Use clear language: Avoid legal jargon or complex terms. Explain what "deportation" means in a way they can understand, such as "being sent back to another country". 
• Focus on the facts: Don't exaggerate or scare them with unnecessary details. Stick to the information you know and can control. 
• Answer their questions honestly: If they ask about specific scenarios, answer them directly and truthfully, but avoid overwhelming them with details. 

 2. Reassure and Comfort:

• Emphasize your love and support: Let them know that you love them very much and that you will do everything you can to keep them safe and together.
• Focus on your plan: Explain that you have a plan in place and are taking steps to ensure your family's safety and well-being.
• Validate their feelings: Acknowledge that they might be feeling scared, worried, or sad, and let them know it's okay to have those feelings. 

3. Focus on the Positive:

• Emphasize your strengths: Talk about your family's strengths and resilience. Remind them that you are a team and that you will get through this together.
• Highlight positive aspects of your community: Talk about the resources and support systems available to you and your family, such as community organizations, friends, and family members.
• Focus on the future: Talk about your hopes and dreams for the future and how you will work together to achieve them.” [i]

Source: www.pexels.com

Staff Education and Training

Because the advice for immigrant families can be very complicated, we recommend that afterschool staff invite a local immigrant advocacy organization to train staff and parents. We also recommend that program leaders confer with school leaders, as the district may have immigration policies and content experts that can also train staff and parents.  

For a full briefing paper on countering the threat of deportation, click here.

END NOTES:
[i] Google AI, How to Talk With Kids About Deportation