A judge has ruled to delay the Trump administration's efforts to ban undocumented migrant children from being able to access the Head Start program.
Providers of the program and several parent groups argued that President Donald Trump's efforts to dismantle Head Start are illegal. Since taking office, the Republican leader's administration has delayed funding to Head Start centers, closed regional offices, disallowed core programming, and banned undocumented migrants from accessing services.
Head Start Program Cuts
The group of parents and providers has now sued and asked the court to declare the efforts to dismantle Head Start illegal. The program has, for decades, set low-income children on a path to success, helped to stabilize families, and boosted local economies.
Now, services have become available at no cost to children from low-income families, and the program serves kids from birth to age three while also offering help for pre-school students aged three to five.
During a Tuesday hearing, the groups asked for an emergency pause on the Trump administration's changes to the Head Start program. While U.S. District Judge Ricardo Martinez did not issue a ruling, he noted he would rule as soon as possible, according to NJS Spotlight News.
Following the ruling, a senior staff attorney at the ACLU Women's Rights Project, Jennesa Calvo-Friedman, noted that government officials have argued that banning undocumented migrant children from accessing Head Start services will not start until Sept. 11.
She said that the judge's delay of the government's efforts is welcome news, but argued that it does not provide the urgent relief they are asking for on behalf of Head Start children, families, and agencies.
Targeting Undocumented Migrant Children
When the Trump administration sought to prohibit undocumented migrant children from receiving assistance from Head Start, it required several federal agencies, including the Department of Education and the Department of Health, to submit official notices about the change, EdWeek reported.
The restrictions on undocumented migrant children generally will not have any effect on services in K-12 schools. However, it would affect dual enrollment and early college programs that allow high school students to earn college credit.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said that the government has diverted hardworking Americans' tax dollars to incentivize illegal immigration for too long. He added that the previous announcement changes this and restores integrity to federal social programs, enforces the rule of law, and protects vital resources for the American people, as per the Los Angeles Times.
