Texas advocates applaud federal efforts to stabilize families and empower economic prosperity for undocumented spouses and Dreamers.
Media Contact: Rashena Flagg, 713.301.4577
CHILDREN AT RISK convened with other advocates to celebrate the new federal, child-forward, executive orders on immigration while exploring the impact on Texas children and the state’s economy on June 28, 2024. Over 10% of all Texas children live in a mixed-status household, representing 22-51% of all families within Texas’ major metro areas.
On June 18, the Federal Administration released new orders centered on Parole in Place and revised guidance on the DACA D-3 Waiver Program, potentially restabilizing 304,4016 Texas families and bolstering economic mobility for over 66,368 non-citizen spouses of Texas citizens, who on average, have resided in the United States for 24 years.
Over half of this population (52%) care for at least one child in their household under the age of 18.These executive orders will foster economic well-being, promote healthy development, and boost academic performance by mitigating exposure to traumatic events during children’s key developmental stages. Most public-school educators (84%) have interacted with students who’ve expressed concern over immigration enforcement and 70% have seen a tangible decline in academic performance.
Across Texas, mixed-status families represent the following percentages in major metro areas:
These executive orders will foster economic well-being, promote healthy development, and boost academic performance by mitigating exposure to traumatic events during children’s key developmental stages. Most public-school educators (84%) have interacted with students who’ve expressed concern over immigration enforcement and 70% have seen a tangible decline in academic performance.
“This change represents a significant step forward to impede harm, keep families together, and inspire hope for so many children in our state,” said Linda Corchado, Senior Director of Immigration at CHILDREN AT RISK.
Press Conference Participants included Dr. Bob Sanborn, CHILDREN AT RISK, Linda Corchado, CHILDREN AT RISK, Juan Carlos Cerda, American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC), Chiqui Sanchez Kennedy, Galveston-Houston Immigration Representation Project (GHIRP), Xavier Medellin, American Families United, Stephanie Medellin, American Families United, Diana Del Pilar, CHILDREN AT RISK
“We rejoice in this win for Texas families. When parents face deportation, long-standing research shows that children endure toxic stress that could have the devastating impact of altering their brain development. There is no doubt that our outdated immigration laws are having real, negative impacts on children in school and in their daily lives.”
Our vision is for the state of Texas to offer a welcoming environment for immigrants and refugees where immigrant children can easily integrate and access the resources they need to learn, thrive, and succeed. While the diversity of the immigrant community enriches our state, it also adds complexity to the strategies needed to address their varied needs.
Our vision is for the state of Texas to offer a welcoming environment for immigrants and refugees where immigrant children can integrate and access the resources they need to learn, grow and thrive. While the diversity of our immigrant community enriches our state, it also adds complexity to the strategies needed to address their varied needs.
The Children’s Immigration Network is CHILDREN AT RISK’s effort to focus on immigrant children. Use the button below to be among the first to read our next quarterly newsletter.
A message from Senior Director, Linda Corchado
We are highlighting the importance of supporting children’s mental health by highlighting how migration impacts immigrant children and the critical role our schools can play in improving their quality of life.
Before even stepping into a classroom, many immigrant students have endured arduous journeys often marked by violence, instability, and loss. These experiences can include traumatic events such as witnessing or being victims of violence, enduring long separations from parents or caregivers, or surviving hazardous journeys, such as crossing deserts or seas in search of safety.
Almost 80% of migrants reported exposure to violence in their country of origin as the precipitating factor for their migration and 20% of these individuals’ reported exposure to sexual violence. Roughly 33% of migrant and refugee children report having witnessed domestic violence and 60% report having witnessed death or serious injury. A 2019 study found that 17% of Central American youth held with their mothers in a detention center met criteria for PTSD, compared to the United States average of 4.7% meeting criteria for PTSD.
In the school settings, educators create a supportive environment for immigrant students when they acknowledge that traumatic stress impacts cognitive functions like attention, memory and decision making crucial for academic success. As students grapple with anxiety, PTSD, depression and emotional regulation, their educational outcomes are also impaired.
The classroom can be a peaceful place where students experience consistency, a sense of normalcy and can form positive relationships with adults and peers. Getting there requires a trauma informed approach where administrators, educators, students and families are working in community to improve the classroom setting. Importantly, this also involves including wraparound services, including additional mental health supports and social workers to support families.
An interview with Yenny James, Founder & CEO, Paradigm Doulas | Fort Worth, TX
Founder & CEO, Paradigm Doulas
Paradigm Doulas provide training on preconception, birth and postpartum doula support with a special focus on dismantling personal and systemic racism that contribute to barriers to reproductive justice and liberation. Ms. James is a doula and community health worker and has worked in the perinatal health space for over 10 years.
As her role of CEO, Ms. James trains and certifies aspiring doulas in communities across the US and promotes ways to support families from diverse backgrounds and cultures throughout their reproductive journey, including immigrants and refugees.
There are many factors that can negatively impact birth outcomes and experiences for immigrant families. When an expectant parent makes the decision to leave their home and lives behind in their native country, most do so in hopes that they can provide a safe environment and better future for their children.
In their search for safety and freedom, they are faced with inhumane conditions at detention facilities at the border and the uncertainty of what their future holds. Many have limited access to prenatal care which is a primary cause of late prenatal care.
The external and internal factors that immigrant parents experience can directly impact pregnancy and the postpartum period. In our communities, I have seen an increase in preterm labor and delivery resulting in infant mortality. I have also seen an increase in postpartum mood disorders, such as postpartum depression and anxiety, which impacts lactation as well as their physical healing after delivering. While prenatal care may be established once they are granted entry into our country, many immigrant parents experience lack of access to transportation, and face language barriers that make it difficult to be a participant in their plan of care.
Many are here alone, so every person in the healthcare system who comes in contact with immigrant parents may be the only person that they can rely on to help navigate the healthcare system, and life.
My approach to cultural sensitivity in this space is centering humanity and practicing cultural humility. When we center humanity, we treat everyone with respect regardless of our differences in cultural experiences or views. This allows us to provide culturally appropriate care to every person and family who we support.
When we practice cultural humility, we are acknowledging that we all have biases and address those biases. As perinatal health workers, this helps us build trusting relationships with parents and helps us be more empathetic.
Working with immigrant families and refugees made me more grateful for the sacrifices that my mother made when she decided to leave our native country and come to the United States when I was three years-old. Her journey to a new country was filled with challenges and uncertainty, yet she faced each obstacle with unwavering strength and resilience.
Leaving behind everything she knew; she embraced the unknown in pursuit of a better life for us. From working multiple jobs to learning a new language, to navigating unfamiliar systems and cultures, her determination and sacrifices laid the foundation for our future opportunities. Just like my mother, the selflessness and perseverance of immigrants and refugees continue to inspire me every day, reminding me of the invaluable gift of their sacrifices and the enduring love that drives their actions.
Members of the Children’s Immigration Network rallied from across the nation to respond to the involuntary bussing of migrant families.
During this press conference on April 11, our partners highlighted critical issues arising from Operation Lone Star, noting its disruptive effects on families and the strain it places on local support systems. CHILDREN AT RISK emphasizes the importance of a humane, child-centered approach to address the unique challenges at the border, urging a focus on all children, regardless of their immigrant status.
Children Now points out the severe trauma experienced by children undergoing long, perilous migrations. They advocate for connecting migrant children with relatives and health services rather than dispersing them to potentially unsupported environments.
Children’s Advocates for Change highlight the plight of asylum seekers fleeing violence and economic collapse. They call for enhanced federal coordination and funding to support the mental and physical health needs of these individuals as they await legal proceedings.
The Colorado Children’s Campaign urges better inter-state and agency cooperation to ensure that children and families transition smoothly and access essential resources. They also call for increased investment in local services to support the holistic needs of newcomer children.
H.O.M.E. advocates for treating vulnerable children and their families with dignity, providing them with comprehensive, non-coercive information to find safe healing spaces.
Dr. Benard P. Dreyer, Director of Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics at Bellevue Hospital Center, emphasizes that healthcare, including essential services like prenatal care and vaccinations, should be accessible to asylum seekers at the southern border, advocating for collaborative efforts to address this humanitarian crisis compassionately.
Press conference participants included Dr. Bob Sanborn, President & CEO, CHILDREN AT RISK (C@R); Linda Corchado, Director of Immigration, C@R; Ted Lempert, President, Children Now; Dr. Tasha Green Cruzat, President, Children’s Advocates for Change; Heather Tritten, President & CEO, Colorado Children’s Campaign; Beatriz Zavala, Clinical Coordinator, Humanitarian Outreach for Migrant Emotional Health (H.O.M.E.); Dr. Benard Dreyer, Professor of Pediatrics, Director of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Bellevue Hospital Center .
Two years since Texas leadership initiated the transportation of migrants released from federal custody to other states, over 102,000 individuals have been relocated to cities such as New York, Chicago, Denver, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. Despite the challenges posed by this influx, these cities—known for their welcoming stance towards immigrants—have strived to support and accommodate the newcomers, particularly the children.
In response to the growing concerns about the impact of these policies on the mental health and well-being of immigrant children, our organization is collaborating with key partners nationwide, including Children Now, the Colorado Children’s Campaign, the Citizens Committee for Children, and Children’s Advocates for Change. Together, we are advocating for necessary support mechanisms to counteract the adverse effects these policies have on immigrant families during this unprecedented time.
Media Contact: Rashena Flagg, 713.301.4577
Two years since Texas leadership announced the state would transport migrants who had been released from federal custody to other states, Texas has transported over 102,000 migrants to New York, Chicago, Denver, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. These cities, traditionally known to be immigrant-friendly have strained to meet the need of migrants coming to their cities but have nevertheless, heeded the call to welcome and support immigrant children in their cities.
CHILDREN AT RISK, a leading Texas nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and families, gathered to raise awareness with key national partners including Children Now, the Colorado Children’s Campaign, Citizens Committee for Children and Children’s Advocates for Change about the harmful influence of Texas policies on other states and the impact these policies have on the mental health of immigrant children. These organizations are uniting to stand together in support of immigrant families and highlight specific supports that are necessary to counteract harmful impacts on immigrant families during this unprecedented time.
“Let’s be clear, the unilateral displacement of children and families across the U.S. is destructive to children’s lives,” said Dr. Bob Sanborn, President & CEO at CHILDREN AT RISK. “Children should not be caught in the political crossfires of a national debate.”
“The well-being of all children, and certainly those experiencing the trauma and insecurity caused by migration, should always be our central and collective concern. Migrant children need stability and support, not made to suffer by political cruelty.” Ted Lempert, President, Children Now.
Press conference participants included Dr. Bob Sanborn, President & CEO, CHILDREN AT RISK (C@R); Linda Corchado, Director of Immigration, C@R; Ted Lempert, President, Children Now; Dr. Tasha Green Cruzat, President, Children’s Advocates for Change; Heather Tritten, President & CEO, Colorado Children’s Campaign; Beatriz Zavala, Clinical Coordinator, Humanitarian Outreach for Migrant Emotional Health (H.O.M.E.); Dr. Benard Dreyer, Professor of Pediatrics, Director of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Bellevue Hospital Center .
“We cannot risk scarring children for life by using them as pawns in a political dispute over immigration, especially considering many have already been traumatized by their journey to the United States.” Dr. Tasha Green Cruzat, President, Children’s Advocates for Change.
“The Colorado Children’s Campaign is committed to creating every chance for every child, and we welcome the thousands of new Coloradans who have recently arrived in our state. We are grateful to community members and policy leaders who have worked together to support newcomers,” said Heather Tritten, President and CEO of the Colorado Children’s Campaign. “But the arrival of children and their families has too often been marked by chaos and lack of communication, which creates unnecessary additional mental and physical stresses for young children and their families. We must invest in resources, better coordination, and thoughtful policies that support the health, well-being, and economic stability of children and families at such a vulnerable moment in their lives.”
“Arriving families have already survived life-threatening trauma and are deeply vulnerable,” said Jenifer Wolf-Williams, Ed.D., executive director of Humanitarian Outreach for Migrant Emotional Health (H.O.M.E.). “Yet rather than offering protection, the bussing system imposed by the Abbott administration takes advantage of these families’ vulnerability, adds to their layers of distress, and compounds the psychological damage for affected children. H.O.M.E. is working to ensure that immigrant children and their families can remain in a safe, stable environment in which they have a chance to heal. We strongly oppose the traumatic coercion, misinformation, and lack of safety imposed by the bussing programs.”
“NYC has provided services to more than 180,000 asylum seekers since the spring of 2022,” said Dr. Benard P. Dreyer, Director of Pediatrics NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H) Bellevue. “Thousands arrive in difficult situations, including families with young children and pregnant people who arrive unannounced on buses from the southern border. Many are unprepared to find themselves here in NYC. They are often recovering from the trauma of thousands of miles of walking through dangerous jungles and have illnesses, are malnourished, confused and frightened. One young boy arrived by chartered bus from Texas after having his anti-epileptic medicine seized at the border by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers. Deprived of his medication, he suffered a near-fatal seizure just moments after he arrived in NYC’s Port Authority. Another child with diabetes didn’t have access to insulin because there wasn’t refrigeration on the long bus trip and came to us with severe diabetic ketoacidosis (a life-threatening condition). Frequently people arrive in NYC late in their pregnancies after not having basic obstetric care at the border or during the transnational bus ride to NYC.”
The busing of migrant families from Texas comes under the Operation Lone Star (OLS) border initiative. Texas has transported over 12,500 migrants to D.C. since April 2022, over 37,900 to New York City, 31,500 to Chicago, 16,300 to Denver and 1,500 to Los Angeles. As of January, the state has spent over $148 million to bus migrants, a cost that grows each day.
Our partners have identified several key concerns regarding the impact on Operation Lone Star as it displaces families and strains local support systems and networks.
Our vision is for the state of Texas to offer a welcoming environment forimmigrants and refugees where immigrant children can easily integrate andaccess the resources they need to learn, thrive, and succeed. While the diversityof the immigrant community enriches our state, it also adds complexity to thestrategies needed to address their varied needs.
Every dollar donated helps us improve the lives of Texas children. CHILDREN AT RISK is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (EIN: 76-0360533). Contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
It is with immense pride and joy that we announce a significant milestone: the 35th Anniversary of CHILDREN AT RISK.
For over three decades, our organization has been at the forefront of advocating for the well-being and rights of vulnerable children, tirelessly working to create a Texas where every child has an opportunity to succeed.
Our efforts are deliberate, measurable, and focus on achieving substantial impact by addressing and advocating for systemic improvements based on data and research. As we reflect on our journey, we are reminded of the invaluable dedication and investment in our work from supporters like yourself, who have been instrumental in making our mission a reality. This anniversary is not just a celebration of our achievements but a testament to the collective effort and commitment of our community.
Let’s continue to stand together on behalf of every child in Texas, as we embark on yet another year of enacting meaningful change. For Children!
February 23, 2024
The Future of San Antonio: Investing in the Long-Term Outcomes of Children
Cohosted by CHILDREN AT RISK and Family Service, the event provided a platform for our community to delve into envisioning a future where children thrived. Stakeholders from the San Antonio region, committed to the well-being of children and families, were brought together, and a data presentation on the State of San Antonio Children was included.
The event featured an expert panel discussion focusing on key metrics related to child well-being, along with recommendations for improvement. Attendees left the event equipped with valuable data to champion positive changes for children!
Friday, April 26, 2024
24th Annual CHILDREN AT RISK Golf Classic
Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just picking up a club for the first time, we guarantee you’ll have a blast at our Annual Golf Classic. Come out and support CHILDREN AT RISK while enjoying a day of golf at one of Houston’s most prestigious courses.
This event is hosted by Melissa Wilson of FOX 26 and chaired by Manny Panjwani. It will take place at the beautiful Clubs of Kingwood Golf Course and is sure to be a fantastic day on the green, so come out and join us. Fore Children! The event is scheduled 11 AM – 4 PM.
Friday, May 31, 2024
Stand Up For Children Gala
Mark your calendars for Friday, May 31st at Hilton Americas as we reimagine our Stand Up for Children Gala, featuring nationally recognized comedian, Dana Carvey. We welcome you for a memorable evening of cocktails, dining, auction, and comedy entertainment!
We are delighted to have April & Wells McGee as our Gala Chairs, Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital as our Corporate Honoree, and Stacey & Al Lindseth as our Community Honorees.
Thursday, September 26, 2024
Advocates for Children: North Texas Reception
Be our guest! From 6-8 PM in Irving, Texas, guests will have the opportunity to enjoy complimentary lite bites at the beautiful Constellation Club venue while learning more about our mission to improve the quality of life for children in the region. We’re honored to also have the opportunity to recognize the distinct work of notable advocates serving the region during this event. Together we’re making a shared dream a reality – happy, healthy, and prosperous homes, schools, and communities for Texas children.
Wednesday, October 16, 2024
The State of El Paso Children: ‘Surviving to Thriving’ Luncheon
Join us for this first-ever community-hosted event by CHILDREN AT RISK! The State of El Paso Children is more than just a gathering—it’s a call to action for all stakeholders committed to enhancing the well-being of children and families. This event is not just about understanding the challenges; it’s about finding solutions and taking collective action. Together, we can forge a path towards a future where every child not only survives but thrives.
Friday, November 1, 2024
Accolades: The Texas Academy Awards of Child Advocacy
CHILDREN AT RISK is once again excited to host our Accolades Luncheon: The Texas Academy Awards of Child Advocacy. At this annual event, attendees will enjoy a delicious lunch as we honor and give accolades to outstanding child advocates and nonprofit organizations driving change and making life better for Texas children.
Details coming soon!
For more information, please contact our team at info@childrenatrisk.org.
It is with immense pride and joy that we announce the start of a significant milestone: the 35th Anniversary of CHILDREN AT RISK.
For over three decades, our organization has been at the forefront of advocating for the well-being and rights of vulnerable children, tirelessly working to create a Texas where every child has an opportunity to succeed. Our efforts are deliberate, measurable, and focus on achieving substantial impact by addressing and advocating for systemic improvements based on data and research.
As we reflect on our journey, we are reminded of the invaluable dedication and investment in our work from supporters like yourself, who have been instrumental in making our mission a reality. This anniversary is not just a celebration of our achievements but a testament to the collective effort and commitment of our community. Let’s continue to stand together on behalf of every child in Texas, as we embark on yet another year of enacting meaningful change.
Looking forward to the future, we are filled with hope and determination to continue making a difference in the lives of Texas children. We invite you to join us in this journey by subscribing to our mailing list, participating in advocacy alerts, attending our events, or making a meaningful donation.
Together, we can build a brighter future for the children of Texas.
For Children!
Dr. Bob Sanborn
President & CEO, CHILDREN AT RISK
The CHILDREN AT RISK 2023 Annual Report coincides with the organization’s 35th anniversary, documenting its efforts in child welfare and advocacy. Each section provides an overview of the organization’s work and its impact over the past year, emphasizing progress in various domains critical to child welfare.
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