Im/migrant Lives

How Do Immigration Policies Affect Children’s Access to Early Childhood Education and Family Engagement in Schools?

Latino children, the majority of which have at least one immigrant parent, face challenges when it comes to education. Lower parental education, limited income, and for Latino immigrant families, learning a new language and understanding how the U.S. education system works, present additional obstacles to educational attainment. In response, Early Childhood Education programs help to shrink gaps in immigrant Latino children’s education. This episode discusses how immigration policies affect access to these programs and to education generally.

The Effects of 2025’s Executive Orders on Im/migrant Families in Florida

The year 2025 saw the passing of dozens of executive orders related to immigration. Among them were mandates to increase the detention and deportation of immigrants through increased agreements between local law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) (known as 287 (g) agreements) and increasing the presence of ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in the interior of the country. How has ramped up immigration enforcement affected the lives of mixed-status families in Florida? In this episode, we discuss the research findings of a study that examined the effects of recent enforcement activity on immigrant parents and their U.S.-born children.

How does detention affect immigrants’ lives?

With increasing numbers of immigrants being detained or removed from their communities by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), what are the effects of detaining them on their well-being? In this episode, we discuss the current issues facing detained immigrants and what the research says about immigrant well-being in detention centers.

How do immigrants who legally came to the United States navigate the loss of their legal status?

At least half a million immigrants who recently came to the United States did so legally, a process that hinged on them passing security vetting and having a U.S. sponsor. Nonetheless, their current legal status is in jeopardy. In this episode, we discuss how these populations are navigating these issues and how the political uncertainty is affecting their daily lives.

How do partnerships between Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and local police, known as 287(g) agreements, affect immigrant communities?

Since December of 2024, the number of partnerships between Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and local police and sheriffs’ offices, also known as 287(g) agreements, grew at an unprecedented rate, from 139 agreements to 531 as of May 8, 2025, representing a 225% increase. These agreements deputize local police officers to carry out immigration enforcement, traditionally the realm of the federal government. In this episode, we discuss the research on how these agreements affect immigrant communities.