Expanding state immigration enforcement increases material hardship for immigrant households with children

A report from Urban Institute and the National Center for Children in Poverty found that expanding state immigration enforcement policies increased material hardship (such as eviction or difficulty paying for basic household expenses) in immigrant households with children. Although the policies target unauthorized immigrant populations, lawful immigrant households also experienced more material hardship in states with expanded enforcement, suggesting a broader climate of fear created by such policies.

Financial hardship can create stress, and result in a lack of basic necessities (such as housing, electricity, and food) and long-term negative effects on children’s development. One in 10 U.S. children (about 7 million) live with at least one noncitizen parent, and the majority of these children are U.S.-born citizens.