Reuniting Immigrant Families

Introduction For the purpose of this paper I will be discussing the following policy – The Reuniting Immigrant Families Act (SB1064). This is a policy that was enacted almost four years ago in California to address the effects of immigration policies on the welfare of the children of immigrants. It is the first policy that address the implications of immigration policies on child welfare. Although, this policy is only currently active in California, other states are making efforts to follow in California’s footsteps. The Overview of the Reuniting Immigrant Families Act provides the following description of SB1064: On September 30, 2012, the state of California enacted the Reuniting Immigrant Families Act (“SB 1064”).

Debates rage about the economic contributions of immigrants to the U.S. economy, job competition, tax payments and fiscal costs, and the integration of immigrants in communities and the larger society. Largely absent from the discussion are the children of immigrants. Today there are an estimated 5.5 million children with unauthorized immigrant parents, about three-quarters of whom are U.S.-born citizens. The nation builds its own future by investing in the futures of children, spending billions of dollars annually on education and health care, preventing abuse and neglect, and supporting when necessary their basic needs for housing and food. Yet, unlike other children in this country, the children of unauthorized immigrants live with the fear that their parents might be arrested, detained, or deported. The federal government spends billions each year to arrest, detain, and deport immigrants, many of whom are parents. By one estimate, in the last 10 years, over 100,000 immigrant parents of U.S. citizen children have been deported from the United States.

The purpose of SB1064 is to put the needs of the children first and keep them with their families, as well as to provide support and services to the families that are separated in order to ensure their reunification. SB1064 will allow the parents that are already detained with the opportunity to fulfill the requirements set by the Child Welfare System and maintain their parental rights. When these parents are detained they are not able to attend court hearing or to participate in placing their child or children with people the know, specifically relatives. SB1064 requires the following