Across America, children are waking up to empty homes, unsure where their parents have gone. Febe and Angelo Perez, just 6 and 9 years old, experienced this nightmare in Texas.
Children Waking Up to Empty Homes
One morning, ICE agents came for their mother, Kenia Perez, leaving them confused and scared. They did not understand the men in tactical vests or what “ICE” meant. They only knew that the person they relied on since their father died was being taken away.
Teenagers were forced to drop out of school or leave college to care for younger siblings. In some cases, children were placed in foster care, even when family members were willing to help.
Kenia Perez’s children were allowed to say goodbye, but others were not so fortunate. “It’s literally a kid’s worst nightmare having someone come take your parents in the middle of the night,” said Wendy Cervantes, an immigration policy expert. Many children are left confused, anxious, and traumatized by the sudden absence of their caregivers.
This is not an isolated story. CNN found over 100 U.S. citizen children left without their parents this year because of immigration enforcement. Some infants and toddlers ended up with friends or relatives.
Families Struggling to Keep Children Safe
Community members and nonprofits have become lifelines for children left behind. Martita Martinez-Bravo runs Friends of Fieldworkers, a nonprofit that delivers diapers, food, toys, and clothing to children whose parents have been detained. Her phone rings constantly with families seeking help. Many have lost their main source of income after parents were deported.
In one crowded apartment in California, seven children were living in one-bedroom quarters. Three of them had been taken in after their parents were deported. The family struggled to pay rent, buy food, and care for everyone. An aunt, also undocumented, worried about her own children while trying to protect her nieces and nephews. In some cases, infants were sent across borders to live with relatives in Mexico to avoid foster care.
The Perez children were temporarily cared for by Jeff Chaney, a family friend. He could not provide long-term care because of work commitments, so the children moved between homes of friends and relatives. “You see those men. They’re going to take Mom,” Chaney remembers Febe and Angelo saying. Community members stepped in to provide financial support through donations, but daily life remained uncertain and frightening for the children.
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Trauma and Coping with Separation
Children separated from parents face long-lasting emotional effects. Many are scared, anxious, or withdrawn. The Merlos children in Oregon spent their first night at a friend’s home sleeping in their clothes because there were no pajamas. Their caregiver tried to bring normalcy, reading bedtime stories and organizing activities like swimming or movie nights, but the fear remained.
Even when parents communicate by phone, children feel the absence deeply. Kenia Perez called her children each night from Honduras, reassuring them that everything would be okay. “It terrifies me,” she said, describing her worries for their safety in a country known for gang violence. Many children in similar situations struggle to process their feelings, requiring therapy or psychiatric care.
The Trump administration’s enforcement policies have increased the likelihood of family separations. Parents who had lived in the U.S. for years, paid taxes, and had work permits have still been deported quickly. Some children were left alone after parents were arrested at workplaces, school drop-offs, or routine immigration check-ins. Others were not given sufficient time to arrange care for their children, even though official policy allows for it.
The impact extends to teenagers, too. In Michigan, one 18-year-old dropped out of college to care for three younger siblings after their father was detained. Infants and toddlers are often left with family friends, neighbors, or foster families. Families scramble to provide food, clothing, and school supplies, often relying on crowdfunding to cover basic needs.
Aggressive ICE raids have also caused injury and chaos. At cannabis farms in California, agents used flash-bang grenades and smoke bombs. Workers were injured, and one man died after falling from a greenhouse roof. Beyond the immediate dangers, these raids left children suddenly without parents, deepening their sense of fear and instability.
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Nonprofit organizations continue to fill the gap. Volunteers deliver food, hygiene items, and clothing. They create safe spaces and try to maintain a routine for children. Even small acts, like organizing movie nights or providing bedtime stories, help children feel a sense of normalcy in an otherwise unstable environment.
Parents who remain in detention face the stress of knowing their children are left behind. Kenia Perez described her pain: “I feel powerless not being able to see or hug my children, play with them, and watch them grow. My life feels meaningless without them.” Children ask nightly, “Are Mom and Dad coming home?” and live with uncertainty about their parents’ safety.
Some parents are eventually reunited with their children, but the process can take weeks or months. Travel documents, passports, and legal processes often delay reunification. Even when families are together again, children carry the trauma of separation and the memory of days or weeks spent without their parents.
Nonprofits and lawmakers are trying to address these issues. Community workshops help parents plan for emergencies, including designating caregivers. Legislation in some states allows parents to officially name guardians if detained. Despite these measures, many children remain vulnerable, living with uncertainty and fear while their parents navigate detention and deportation.
This growing issue affects families across multiple states, including Texas, California, Oregon, Michigan, and Nebraska. Children of all ages—from infants to teenagers—face emotional, financial, and educational challenges. Communities continue to step in where government support is limited, ensuring children have shelter, food, and care.
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Even with these efforts, children live with constant worry. Teenagers manage households while attending school, toddlers adjust to new caregivers, and older children cope with trauma from sudden separation. Volunteers and friends work tirelessly to provide stability, but the emotional weight remains heavy for families impacted by immigration enforcement actions.
