January 23, 2025, Boston, MA—The National Parents Union released a statement on immigration, family unity, and the need for thoughtful, common-sense solutions:
“At the National Parents Union, we stand in solidarity with families and communities affected by immigration policies that threaten to destabilize lives and disrupt the collective strength of our nation. Today, we reaffirm a simple yet profound truth: our humanity is interconnected. When one family suffers, when one community is fractured, the ripple effects reverberate throughout every aspect of our society—affecting us all, whether we are immigrants or not.
At the National Parents Union, we unequivocally condemn the announcement that the Trump administration will allow federal immigration agencies to make arrests at schools, daycare centers, places of worship and hospitals. Law abiding individuals and their families should be treated humanely and with dignity. The decision to go after families in safe places sends a disgraceful message that threatens to emotionally scar young children whose families may be deported and other young children caught up in the crossfire.
We also strongly encourage all schools to communicate with children and their families about the resources, support systems, and organizations available to help with sensitive family matters in the event that a loved one is deported.
The challenges facing our nation’s immigration system demand thoughtful and strategic solutions. These are thousands of law-abiding parents who work tirelessly in growing American businesses, hospitals, schools, on our farms and manufacturing industries, and their children deserve to grow up in a world where they feel safe, supported, and valued.
We call on our nation’s leaders to recognize the far-reaching implications of their decisions and to act with compassion, wisdom, and strategic foresight. Addressing the challenges of immigration requires common-sense solutions that prioritize family unity, foster inclusion, and strengthen and safeguard the systems that support us all. This means crafting policies that balance humanity with practicality—creating pathways for undocumented individuals to gain legal status, modernizing outdated immigration systems, and ensuring that changes are implemented in ways that preserve the stability of our communities.
As parents and advocates, we know that every child deserves a future filled with opportunity, not fear. Every family, immigrant or not, depends on the health of our shared systems—schools, hospitals, places of worship, and workplaces—to thrive. Our faiths, our values, and our shared humanity demand that we honor the dignity of every individual while thoughtfully planning for the impact of our actions on all people.
Let us remember the lessons of our past and the moral responsibility we have to welcome the stranger and support one another. This is not only an act of kindness but a commitment to the enduring ideals that make our nation strong. Immigration policy must be rooted in compassion and justice, but it must also be implemented strategically to protect and sustain the systems that benefit us all.
We urge policymakers to approach immigration reform with clarity, fairness, and a commitment to the greater good—ensuring that our nation emerges stronger, more inclusive, and more united. Together, we can uphold the dignity of every person and build a future rooted in hope, resilience, and shared prosperity for the good of all families, communities, and our nation.”
ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARENTS UNION
With more than 1,800 affiliated parent organizations in all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, the National Parents Union is the united, independent voice of modern American families. We channel the power of parents into powerful policies that improve the lives of children, families and communities across the United States. https://nationalparentsunion.org/