The Center on Immigration and Child Welfare Initiative - CICW

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The Center on Immigration and Child Welfare Initiative - CICW

The Center on Immigration & Child Welfare Initiative elevates research, policy, and practice to improve outcomes for immigrant children and families.

The Center on Immigration and Child Welfare (CICW) is a national peer membership organization that promotes the welfare of children of immigrants and their families. The Center fosters cross-sector collaboration by linking and supporting professionals across the child welfare, immigration, and legal fields. Formerly the Migration and Child Welfare National Network, the CICW was founded in 2006 in

an era that began increasingly punitive immigration policies and programs that systematically separated parents and children, and threatened the foundations of child protection and well-being. For the past decade, the work of the CICW has focused on building capacity of the U.S. child welfare system to respond to the unique needs of immigrant families and children through: (1) original research, (2) resource development and dissemination focused on the needs of front line practitioners, (3) training and technical assistance (online and in person), and (4) national leadership, including sponsoring cross-sector conferences, workgroups, and advocacy.

03/02/2026

CICW E-Newsletter March 2026 -

The CICW is recruiting child welfare professionals and legal service providers in California to participate in a 30–40 minute survey and interview for our study, Empowering Child Welfare Practice at the Intersections of Immigration and Child Wellbeing. Participants will receive a $30 honorar...

02/20/2026

02/12/2026

A judge has ordered the administration to return three immigrant families to the U.S. after finding that immigration agents used "deception and coercion" to remove them.

02/02/2026

CICW E-Newsletter February 2026 -

This policy brief documents how the Trump administration is using government agencies to separate families and remove thousands of children from the U.S., disregarding children's rights and safety while deepening trauma and blocking reunification, and calls for urgent action to restore protections f...

01/05/2026

CICW E-Newsletter January 2026 -

These state-specific guides help immigrant families create safety plans for their children in case of detention or deportation, providing information on custody options, legal forms, vital records, and consulate contacts.

12/24/2025

Winning is substantially more challenging with ICE running interference.

12/01/2025

CICW E-Newsletter December 2025 -

This resource for immigrant parents outlines the rights that parents have while being apprehended and detained by ICE. Additional languages are forthcoming.

11/03/2025

CICW E-Newsletter November 2025 -

This interactive workshop panel will feature a dynamic exchange among county leaders and practitioners exploring how local systems have adapted over time to meet the evolving needs of immigrant children and families. The discussion will highlight strategies, processes, and promising practices, as...

10/10/2025

The Center on Immigration and Child Welfare Initiative (CICW) led by Assistant Professor Dr. Kristina Lovato is excited to share that the Walter S. Johnson Foundation has awarded funding for Empowering Child Welfare Practice at the Intersections of Immigration and Child Wellbeing.

10/01/2025

CICW E-Newsletter October 2025 -

09/02/2025

CICW E-Newsletter September 2025 -

This practice advisory reviews the 2025 Detained Parents Directive and provides recommendations to child welfare administrators and practitioners on how to utilize the Directive to advocate for immigrant children and families.

08/14/2025

New Free Training on Supporting Immigrant Children and Families in the Child Welfare System -

Address

120 Haviland Hall
Berkeley, CA
94720

Website

http://www.cimmcw.org/

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Our Story

Mission The mission of CICW is to improve programs and policies related to immigrant children and families involved in the public child welfare system.

Vision Our vision is that children of immigrants thrive in their families and communities.

About Us The Center on Immigration and Child Welfare (CICW) is a coalition of individuals and organizations focused on the intersection of immigration and child welfare. The Center fosters cross-sector collaboration by linking and supporting professionals across the child welfare, immigration, and legal fields. It also serves as a resource to learn from the knowledge and strategies of colleagues, and participates in collaborative efforts to improve services for immigrant families in the child welfare system.

The center has three areas of focus: