The Family Separation Response Task Force is working to improve policies and practices statewide to protect children whose parents or guardians are detained or deported due to immigration status. The Task Force was created by Executive Order 25-04 which was signed by Governor Bob Ferguson on Jan. 27, 2025.
The goals of the Task Force are to:
- Recommend improvements to statewide policies and practices
- Develop and share resources with families at risk of separation
- Collaborate with trusted community-based organizations
The Task Force does not share information with federal immigration enforcement. It also does not respond directly to individual instances of family separation.
If you need to report immigration activity, please call the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network (WAISN) Deportation Defense Hotline at 1-844-724-3737 or visit www.waisn.org.
Helpful Resources
This information is not a substitute for legal advice.
Resources for Families:
- Parents are encouraged to create a safety plan which identifies who would take care of their child(ren) if they are detained or deported.
- Download a sample Immigrant Safety Plan (now available in English, Spanish, and Arabic)
- Know Your Rights: Civil Immigration Enforcement in Washington
- Rapid Response Hub — Washington State Commission on Hispanic Affairs
Resources for Partners/Providers:
- Information and Resources for DCYF Providers
- Group Care Providers - Guidance for Requests from Immigration Enforcement Officials
- Caregivers - Guidance for Requests from Immigration Enforcement Officials
- WAISN Resource Finder
- Protections for Immigrant Students in Washington’s K–12 Public Schools
- Keep Washington Working Act Guidance for state and local partners
- Report potential violations of the Keep Washington Working Act by emailing the Washington Attorney General’s Office at civilrights@atg.wa.gov or by calling 1-833-660-4877 (options are in Spanish and English).
Frequently Asked Questions
It is recommended that parents identify a caregiver for their child(ren) if they are detained or deported. The Legal Counsel for Youth and Children (LCYC) has several resources available, including the Immigrant Safety Plan (available in English, Spanish, and Arabic). Parents may also wish to review other legal resources or speak to a private attorney for what should happen in the event they are deported. The Legal Counsel for Youth and Children (LCYC) provides several resources in their Immigrant Safety Plan and offers training to help parents plan for the care of their children in the event that they are detained or deported.
You may take care of a child left in your care by a parent without becoming a licensed foster parent. To prepare for this, you may review the Immigrant Safety Plan and Training, the Nomination of Standby and Minor Guardianship Form, and other resources on the Know Your Rights OAG page or LCYC website. We also recommend the following resources:
The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) has put out guidance related to the protections offered for immigrant students in Washington state. As we move forward on the Task Force, we continue to partner with school districts and support the education of all youth regardless of immigration status.
When U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detains a parent, they first check with the family to determine if there is a relative or friend who can care for the child. ICE only contacts DCYF if:
- The parents cannot find a safe person to care for the child.
- There are concerns about the person who is chosen to care for the child.
In these cases, ICE will notify local law enforcement, and the child will be placed into Protective custody and then transferred to DCYF. If a child is not with their parent when deported and is in the care of community or other childcare, we rely on community partners to notify law enforcement or DCYF.
It is DCYF’s goal to keep children with their families. As DCYF is working to help reunify the child with their parent, DCYF will work to locate family members/relatives. If one cannot be located, the child would enter into foster care while the caseworker is attempting to reunify the family.
DCYF does not currently handle cases of unaccompanied children.
If a child is picked up by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, they are transferred to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. From there:
- The child is placed with the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR).
- The ORR finds a sponsor to care for the child.
- The child is connected to services and the immigration court process.
Yes. When DCYF receives placement and care authority of a child, DCYF works to reunify a child with a safe parent – even if they are outside of the country.
In keeping with Keep Washington Working (RCW 43.17.425), DCYF does not provide information to ICE without a court order or judicial warrant, or a signed release of information.