Nearly 40,000 foreign-born child care workers have left the profession due to the Trump administration’s deportation and detainment policies, as reported by a new study from the Better Life Lab at New America. This figure accounts for about 12% of the foreign-born child care workforce. Workers most affected include those with college degrees, individuals from Mexico, and those in center-based care, according to the left-leaning think tank. This exodus exacerbates the existing child care staffing shortage, impacting the industry and leading many U.S.-born mothers to exit the workforce due to unreliable child care.
The report highlights that workers avoid public spaces to steer clear of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) interactions. ICE is now targeting individuals not typically its focus, such as asylum seekers and green card applicants. Previously, child care centers were deemed “sensitive locations” safe from ICE actions, but that status was revoked in January. In one instance, a child care worker was detained upon arriving at work.
Chris Herbst, a professor at Arizona State University and co-author of the report, stated, “What’s different now is the ferocity of the enforcement. ICE is arresting far more people, the number of deportations has risen dramatically. People are scared out of their minds.”
Related: Young children have unique needs and providing the right care can be a challenge. Our free early childhood education newsletter tracks the issues.
Immigrants are critical to the U.S. child care industry, filling difficult-to-staff roles and enabling parents to work. Nationally, 1 in 5 child care workers is an immigrant. In states like Florida and New York, they make up nearly 40% of the workforce. A study found that 64% of immigrant care workers have a college degree compared to 53% of native-born workers. Immigrant workers also tend to have child development credentials and engage more in professional development.
Overall, the child care industry stimulates over $152 billion in economic activity. In Wisconsin, Elaine, a child care center director, highlights the impact of a Ukrainian immigrant, who arrived via a humanitarian parole program, on her program. The immigrant’s consistent presence and expertise have been invaluable amid a persistent teacher shortage.
“She’s their consistent person. She spends more time than a lot of the parents do with the children during their waking hours,” Elaine explained. “She’s there for them, she’s loving, she provides that support, that connection, that security that young children need.”
The Uniting for Ukraine program, initially suspended, has since allowed extensions, but Elaine’s employee faces delays, similar to many others. The teacher’s parole expired recently, and legally, she should return to Ukraine, still under siege by Russian forces.
Elaine is determined to retain her employee and is appealing to lawmakers for help, with parents supporting the effort by contacting Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin. They emphasize the teacher’s significant public benefit to the local economy. The report also notes a decline in U.S.-born child care workers, particularly Hispanic and less-educated ones, possibly due to a “climate of fear and confusion” from enforcement actions.
Herbst stated, “These deportations have been sold under the theory that they are going to be a boon for U.S.-born workers once we sort of unclog the labor market by removing large numbers of undocumented immigrants. We’re finding at least in the child care industry, and at least in the short run, that appears not to be the case.”
While some immigrants transition to roles as nannies or au pairs to avoid state regulators, center-based early childhood educators are leaving in larger numbers. An estimated 142,000 undocumented immigrants work as nannies and personal care aides nationwide.
This year has been challenging for child care providers, facing ongoing crises due to low pay and difficult work conditions. Many providers struggle with basic needs, as reported by the RAPID Survey Project at Stanford University. More than half report difficulty affording food, the highest level since 2021.
Nationally, providers report decreased enrollment as families pull children out to avoid ICE. Child care centers lose money, and staff face fear and lost work authorization post-program terminations. Many workers have taken on extra roles to support families affected by ICE actions.
This story about immigration enforcement was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for the Hechinger newsletter.
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