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NWLC Condemns Trump Administration for Denying Immigrant Families Access to Early Learning, Health Services, and Other Important Programs
WASHINGTON (July 10, 2025) – The National Women’s Law Center strongly denounces the Trump administration’s latest move to block certain immigrant families from accessing a range of vital federal programs, including Head Start, mental health and substance abuse services, adult education programs, and the Title X Family Planning Program.
The administration issued two notices this week redefining what constitutes a “federal public benefit” that certain immigrants — both lawfully present and undocumented — are barred from accessing. This targeted and punitive change would suddenly bar children and immigrant families from programs essential to their health and well-being. Until now, services like Head Start, mental health and substance use disorder services, postsecondary education programs, and Title X — which are funded through federal grants — were not considered public benefits unavailable to immigrants under relevant federal law.
“This cruel and illegal attack on the immigrant community is beyond the pale. This administration continues to focus its energies on bullying and harming the most vulnerable populations and pushing its egregious anti-immigrant agenda. Blocking certain immigrants from essential services like health care and early learning programs is another example of cruelty that harms not only the individuals targeted but our communities as a whole,” said Emily Martin, chief program officer at the National Women’s Law Center.
“We will continue working with our partners to push back against this latest attack on immigrants, which is aimed at causing panic, fear and inflicting pain on these communities.”
NWLC has released a number of resources highlighting the vital role that immigrant women play in sustaining our economy.
- Four Things You Should Know About How Immigration Impacts Care Work outlines key statistics on immigrant care workers, the challenges they face, and how anti-immigrant policies put our entire care infrastructure at risk.
- Immigrant Women’s Contributions to Our Economy details the sectors with the highest concentration of immigrant women and the indispensable labor that they provide.
As NWLC’s research shows, immigrants make up almost 20% of the early childhood education workforce, with immigrant women comprising the vast majority. They also represent nearly 23% of all home health aides. Stripping these people of access to child care and health care isn’t just morally reprehensible — it sabotages the very workforce that holds our economy together.
