The following paper will explore the effects of being undocumented on children. Throughout the paper the children discussed will refer to both children who are undocumented themselves and children born in the United States to undocumented parents. The paper will also review literature relevant to the subject, examine policies and agency roles relevant to child welfare and undocumented families. Finally it will discuss efforts being made on a nation level to aid this population.
Effects of Being Undocumented on Children
Immigrant families are among the fastest growing families in the United States and many of these families include children. The number of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. is estimated to be at around eleven million people, …show more content…
Due to low-income wages and lack or financial resources, immigrant families are often forced to live in overcrowded homes or leave their children unattended because they can’t afford childcare. This lack of resources can bring these immigrant families to a point of involvement with child welfare. Another way these families come to the attention of child welfare is due to culture-specific child rearing practices. For example in many cultures corporal punishment is a widely accepted part of parenting, these parents may not understand that this style isn’t permitted in the United States, which can possibly lead to accusations of abuse.
It’s important to discuss the effects that being undocumented or having undocumented families can have on children because these families are only growing in numbers and these children are going to be the future of our country. Allowing undocumented families to continue living in the shadows is harmful to them and to our country and only reinforces the structural inequality raging in our …show more content…
While immigrant families are entitled to reunification services, undocumented families may face certain barriers to reunification. For example, certain requirements within the family reunification plans which parents need to be complying with to avoid termination of their parental rights can be difficult to comply with if parents who do not speak English fluently lack access to services in their own language (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2015). Another relevant policy is DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which allows certain undocumented immigrants who entered the U.S. as children to receive a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation and eligibility to enroll in school and certain work-study programs(Child Welfare Information Gateway,
Effects of Being Undocumented on Children
Immigrant families are among the fastest growing families in the United States and many of these families include children. The number of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. is estimated to be at around eleven million people, …show more content…
Due to low-income wages and lack or financial resources, immigrant families are often forced to live in overcrowded homes or leave their children unattended because they can’t afford childcare. This lack of resources can bring these immigrant families to a point of involvement with child welfare. Another way these families come to the attention of child welfare is due to culture-specific child rearing practices. For example in many cultures corporal punishment is a widely accepted part of parenting, these parents may not understand that this style isn’t permitted in the United States, which can possibly lead to accusations of abuse.
It’s important to discuss the effects that being undocumented or having undocumented families can have on children because these families are only growing in numbers and these children are going to be the future of our country. Allowing undocumented families to continue living in the shadows is harmful to them and to our country and only reinforces the structural inequality raging in our …show more content…
While immigrant families are entitled to reunification services, undocumented families may face certain barriers to reunification. For example, certain requirements within the family reunification plans which parents need to be complying with to avoid termination of their parental rights can be difficult to comply with if parents who do not speak English fluently lack access to services in their own language (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2015). Another relevant policy is DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which allows certain undocumented immigrants who entered the U.S. as children to receive a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation and eligibility to enroll in school and certain work-study programs(Child Welfare Information Gateway,