In January 2025, the federal immigration policy changed, rescinding former guidelines that designated early childhood programs as “protected areas” from immigration enforcement. The Center for Law and Social Policy has a resource that contains important information about current immigration enforcement policies and a guide for creating internal “safe space” policies in early childhood programs. This resource was recently updated to reflect the change to the federal immigration policy.

A “safe space” policy in an early childhood program can help:

· reinforce basic constitutional protections and other privacy and civil rights laws

· prepare staff for possible immigration enforcement actions

· create a communication plan for staff and parents

· protect the well-being of children, families, and staff

To learn more, read A Guide to Creating “Safe Space” Policies for Early Childhood Programs.