Informed by comprehensive research and extensive consultation with practitioners, the report sheds light on the various ways child-family separation is occurring in the United States; examines what is known about the children, families, and systems most impacted; and identifies critical gaps in publicly available government data that hinder efforts to track, monitor, and reunify families.
Drawing on global guidance, U.S. legal frameworks, and promising practices already underway, the report puts forward child- and family-centered solutions—in policy and in practice—to protect family unity, support reunification, and mitigate harm for children and families already separated. It demonstrates that it is possible to enforce immigration laws while also protecting child and parental rights and safeguarding family unity.
