Child care workers in Washington D.C. are increasingly going underground as a result of intensified actions by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). With arrests in the district rising dramatically, undocumented workers in the child care sector are grappling with fear and uncertainty about their futures.
Alma, an undocumented Latina who operates a home-based day care, has adopted a cautious approach to her daily routine. She now monitors the streets for any sign of ICE agents before allowing her coworker, also undocumented, to come to work. Since August 2023, following a declaration of “crime emergency” by former President Donald Trump, Alma has halted outdoor activities with the children in her care, leading to a loss of business as parents withdraw their children from her day care.
The surge in ICE activity has created a climate of anxiety among child care providers. Nationwide, approximately 20% of child care workers are immigrants, with this figure rising to nearly 40% in Washington D.C. While about 7% of child care workers across the United States are undocumented, the percentage is significantly higher in the nation’s capital. Almost all of these workers are women who play a crucial role in supporting families and communities.
Alma has been running her day care for over a decade and has spent the last 22 years in the United States working in child care. With two children being withdrawn from her care, she now faces the challenge of reducing her staff’s hours and finding new clients. The uncertainty of her situation has forced her to draft a plan for her own children in the event of her detention, expressing a heart-wrenching desire for them to be brought to her instead of being left alone.
“What kind of life is this?” Alma questioned, highlighting the grave implications of the administration’s policies. “We are not delinquents; we are not bad people. We are here to work to support our families.”
The impact of ICE’s crackdown has resonated throughout the Multicultural Spanish Speaking Providers Association, which supports Latina child care providers. The organization has witnessed a marked decline in attendance among workers over the past few weeks, as fear of detention has prompted many to miss work. The association assists workers in obtaining early childhood education degrees, but many are now requesting virtual classes to avoid the commute and potential encounters with ICE.
Latinas are drawn to the child care sector for various reasons, including the ability to provide care in their native language and the opportunity to maintain their cultural identity. According to Blanca Huezo, the program coordinator at the Multicultural Spanish Speaking Providers Association, the child care industry offers a fresh start for many immigrants, enabling them to support their families while contributing to the community.
In recent months, the Trump administration has made significant changes to immigration policies, narrowing paths to asylum and reducing protections for vulnerable groups. These actions have increased the number of undocumented workers, intensifying the fear among Latinx individuals regardless of their immigration status. This climate of fear has exacerbated an existing staffing crisis in the child care sector, which was already struggling to meet demand.
The city of Washington D.C. has been recognized as a sanctuary city since 2020, limiting cooperation between law enforcement and immigration officials. However, earlier this year, Mayor Muriel Bowser proposed repealing these protections, and the Metropolitan Police Department has since been given discretion to share information with ICE.
“Living in D.C. provided some peace and security,” Huezo noted. “Now, people don’t feel the freedom to walk through the streets.”
Child care centers, previously considered “sensitive locations” where ICE enforcement was discouraged, are no longer safe havens. Although there have been no reported raids in day care facilities, increased ICE presence near child care centers has raised alarms among workers and parents alike.
The situation mirrors the fear experienced by workers in Los Angeles, where ICE conducted extensive raids earlier this summer. The Multicultural Spanish Speaking Providers Association has been in contact with child care providers in Los Angeles to learn how they managed during that period of heightened enforcement.
In the meantime, the association is striving to connect workers with resources, including legal clinics, although many are operating at full capacity. They have also partnered with organizations like Food Justice DMV to deliver meals to those unable to leave their homes. Due to increased demand, wait times for food assistance have grown, stretching from a week to as long as a month for those in surrounding areas.
Thalia, another undocumented teacher in the child care sector, voiced her concerns about the current climate. Many of her colleagues have stopped coming to work, overwhelmed by the fear of ICE. “They are hunting us,” she said, reflecting the pervasive anxiety in the community.
As a single mother, Thalia has taken steps to ensure her children are cared for if she is detained. She has retained legal representation to assist her family in the event of an emergency, emphasizing the daily stress of balancing work, motherhood, and the fear of separation.
“We are working, we are cooperating, paying taxes,” Thalia stated. “We are there all day so other families can benefit from child care.”
The ongoing crackdown has placed immense pressure on an already fragile sector, threatening the livelihoods of those dedicated to caring for the next generation.
