Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online 2026-5
ICE or Educators at the Door? Four Strategies to Support Undocumented and Mixed-Status Families With Young Children With Disabilities Access IDEA Part C
This article explores the significant impact heightened immigration enforcement and deportation fears have on undocumented and mixed-status families’ ability to access early intervention services provided under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It examines systemic barriers, resulting in adverse developmental outcomes for children, and proposes inclusive, culturally responsive strategies to enhance support for these vulnerable populations.
CycykL. M.DuránL. (2020). Supporting young children with disabilities and their families from undocumented immigrant backgrounds. Young Exceptional Children, 23(4), 212–224.
2.
De LeonI. C.PhilippsJ.YoegelM.ByrnesJ.KaseJ. S. (2022). Comparison of goal achievement when transitioning from in-person therapy to teletherapy in the Westchester county early intervention program due to the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Telerehabilitation, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.5195/ijt.2022.6450
3.
DragooK. E. (2024). The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part C. CRS Report R43631, Congressional Research Service.
SidhuS. S.SongS. J. (2019). Growing up with an undocumented parent in America: Psychosocial adversity in domestically residing immigrant children. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 58(10), 933–935.
11.
SmithJ. M. (2020). Early childhood education programs as protective experiences for low-income Latino children. Adversity and Resilience Science, 1(3), 191–204.
12.
TeicherM. H. (2018). Childhood trauma and the enduring consequences of forcibly separating children from parents at the United States border. BMC Medicine, 16, 1–3.
13.
ZwaigenbaumL.BaumanM. L.FeinD.PierceK.BuieT.DavisP. A.WagnerS. (2015). Early screening of autism spectrum disorder: Recommendations for practice and research. Pediatrics, 136(Suppl. 1), S41–S59.
