Emerging Legal Issue: Intersection of Immigration and Family Law.

Throughout 2025, our legal team noticed an emerging issue in immigration law: caregivers, families, and the legal system were facing unprecedented challenges involving family law. Historically, ICE was not detaining parents because it is extremely unpopular and subjects young children, many of whom are US citizens, to separation and trauma. But what we have seen is indiscriminate detentions of community members in urban and rural areas, targeting people heading to work, at work, and at their ICE check-ins.

One case we have been working on has featured a mother with a medically fragile child and a nursing baby who was detained, even though she has young children who rely on her care, strong community connections, works, and has no criminal record. Read more here.

The Resource Line is also fielding a growing number of domestic violence cases because our community feels afraid to call law enforcement and report it, citing multiple instances where the abuser called ICE to pick up their partner, or that law enforcement removed the victim from the home because of their status. Family separation is a very real fear for our community, which is why we have been working hard to help families find missing loved ones, offer Power of Attorney clinics and consults, and share our Family Preparedness Guide. Community members share that they are relieved to know what to do and that they can call us, and we will do everything we can to help. We will continue to evolve our legal program to meet needs, address how immigration and other areas of law intersect, and support those in vulnerable situations.