Dear 4Cs Community,

Since January 20th, the President has taken action to heighten border enforcement, withdrawn several immigration-related orders, and directed ICE to conduct greater domestic immigration enforcement in communities across the county.

As these critical matters continue to develop, we want to recognize the stress, anxiety, and distrust many families are feeling. Your safety, well-being, and peace of mind matter. You are an essential part of our community, and 4Cs is here to support your children and family–regardless of your documentation status.

At this current time, the President’s recent pause to federal funding does not have an immediate effect on 4Cs services or federal child care programs, but news is fast-moving, and 4Cs will do our part to help share the latest facts and any potential program changes.

With news and rumors about domestic ICE operations, 4Cs wants to connect you with the resources available to help you and your family navigate fast-changing policies.

📢 Resources for Immigrant & Mixed-Status Families: The County of San Mateo offers comprehensive resources to support immigrant families, and serves as a starting point to understand which community groups can help with your family’s unique needs. Visit the County Office of Community Affairs website for more information and the latest news from the County of San Mateo

✅ Plan Ahead: The Immigrant Legal Resource Center has created a Step-by-Step Family Preparedness Plan to guide you in case of an immigration emergency. Learn how to:

Create a Child Care Plan – make guardianship accommodations in case of separation
Know Your Rights – understand your rights if you encounter ICE officers
Access Legal Resources – connect to the local legal resources in your community

Click here to access these resources and others.

🚨 Report ICE Sweeps: If you encounter ICE officials in your community or workplace, report it to the County’s Rapid Response Hotline: 📞203-666-4472 or call to confirm news of ICE operations in your neighborhood. And use the Immigrant Legal Resource Center’s Red Cards to assert your rights if an ICE official approaches you by clicking here.

👪 Stay Informed: The fear and stress families are experiencing, not only puts a chilling effect on these families from accessing the resources and services they need–but it extends to children and will have lasting impacts on their development and well-being. Luckily, the proposed pause would not impact funds for small businesses, farmers, Pell grants, Head Start, rental assistance, and other similar programs.

Read more here: MOU does not apply to Head Start and “like programs”

You can also learn more about the impact of immigration discussions on the development of our children and youth by reading the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) report here.

🤲 Create Protected Spaces: The Center for Law and Social Policy, CLASP, has created a guide for early child educators looking to design and implement “safe space” policies that safeguard early childhood programs against immigration enforcement. Access the guide here and learn about the different safeguard strategies you can employ to protect your families & young learners.

By collaborating and sharing these resources widely, we can protect our community and navigate these challenges together.

In community,
4Cs of San Mateo County