The newly formed task force supporting children and youth facing family separation due to immigration enforcement held its first meeting last week.
The Family Separation Response Task Force, led by the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), held its first meeting on February 11, with presentations about the current processes that schools, child welfare workers, and law enforcement utilize when responding to family separation due to detention or deportation of parents and caregivers.
DCYF was directed to form the Task Force under Executive Order 25-04, signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson on January 27. The task force includes representatives from the Governor’s Office, Washington State Patrol, the Office of the Attorney General, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), the Office of Refugee & Immigration Assistance, and other state agencies.
“It is critical that state agencies have clear policies and procedures in place for any number of scenarios families and communities might face,” said DCYF Secretary Tana Senn. “We also want to ensure that families and communities know where to go and who to turn to if they have questions about the needs, safety, and stability of children and youth who may be caught in the web of immigration enforcement action.”
Upcoming meetings will include a broader array of partners and begin to identify supports and services that already exist across the state.
“This Task Force is a clear message to mixed status families across the state that this Washington stands with you,” said Secretary Senn.
To learn more, visit the Family Separation Response Task Force webpage.