Over 145,000 U.S. Children Affected by Parent Detentions Since Trump ICE Surge, Study Finds
TOPSHOT - Cesar, 35, an asylum seeker from Nicaragua waits with his eight-year-old son Donovan to enter the US port of entry to change their asylum court dates on April 6, 2020 at the Paso del Norte International Bridge in Ciudad Jua?rez in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico. - As immigration courts have been closed due to the coronavirus, COVID-19, pandemic people seeking asylum in Migrant Protection Protocols program, better known as the "Remain in Mexico" policy, are still expected to show up in the dangerous city centre before dawn to receive new dates despite stay-at-home order on both sides of the border. (Photo by Paul Ratje / Agence France-Presse / AFP) (Photo by PAUL RATJE/Agence France-Presse/AFP via Getty Images)
More than 145,000 U.S. citizen children have likely experienced the detention of a parent since the start of Donald Trump’s second term, according to a new report by the Brookings Institution cited in a Guardian investigation.
The study estimates that approximately 146,635 children have had at least one parent detained under the administration’s expanded immigration enforcement campaign launched in January 2025. Among them, more than 22,000 children reportedly experienced the detention of all co-resident parents.
Young Children Disproportionately Affected
The research highlights that around 36% of affected children are under the age of six, raising concerns about the impact of immigration enforcement on early childhood development and family stability.
The report also found that children of detained parents are most commonly linked to Mexico (about 54%), followed by Guatemala and Honduras, which together account for more than 25%.
Regional Impact and Data Findings
States such as Texas and Washington, D.C. recorded some of the highest rates of affected children, with more than five per 1,000 U.S. citizen children experiencing a parent’s detention.
Brookings researchers also noted that official figures from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security reported 18,277 detainees with U.S. citizen children in fiscal year 2025, but warned that this number likely underestimates the real scale of family impact.
Earlier investigative reporting by The Guardian suggested that tens of thousands of children may already have been affected during the first months of intensified enforcement.
Millions of Children at Risk of Separation
Researchers estimate that around 13 million undocumented adults currently live in the United States, and more than 4.6 million U.S. citizen children reside with at least one parent vulnerable to deportation.
Of these, approximately 2.5 million children could face the possibility of both parents being detained or removed, depending on enforcement outcomes.
Debate Over Family Separation Policies
Immigration advocates argue that the expansion of enforcement has increased the likelihood of family separation and placed additional burdens on children and social services.
A U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, however, stated that “being in detention is a choice” and denied that immigration enforcement separates families, adding that parents may choose to leave with their children or arrange alternative care.
The report also cited earlier findings suggesting that some deportation cases occurred without confirming whether individuals had dependent children.
Calls for Better Data and Child Protection
Brookings researchers urged U.S. authorities to improve transparency by publishing clearer data on:
- Parents facing detention or deportation
- The number of affected U.S. citizen children
- Outcomes for children following parental removal
They also emphasized that support systems for affected children should be considered a necessary part of immigration enforcement policy, given the scale of family disruption documented in recent years.
The findings add to ongoing debate over immigration enforcement in the United States and its broader social consequences under the current administration.
