The Devolution of Immigration Enforcement Policy and Child Welfare Practice

Immigration policy is situated at the forefront of today's political climate. As such, raising awareness for how immigration enforcement specifically intersects with child welfare services can serve to promote advocacy efforts, recommend analysis by researchers, and guide practitioners facing the challenges of translating policy to practice. This article uses the nation's strictest immigration policy from Alabama as a focal point for discussion and examines the challenges families face when immigration enforcement and child welfare services overlap. Recommendations for researchers and practitioners are provided.