We Say We Care About Children, But Our Actions Tell A Different Story

In a sermon that resonated across the globe, Bishop Mariann Budde made a heartfelt plea to President Trump in the first days of his presidency, “I ask you to have mercy…on those in our communities whose children fear their parents will be taken away.” Her voice captured the deep anguish many of us feel as we witness the recent actions of this administration and Congress – actions that strike at the heart of anyone who cares about children.

Less than a month in, the administration’s policies across a number of areas are still taking shape but there is little evidence to suggest they are prioritizing the well-being of children. That aligns with a sobering truth: regardless of which political party is in power, children in the United States have been overlooked, short-changed, and forgotten.

The U.S. spends less on children than nearly any other developed nation. We are the only country in the world that has not ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Over 11 million American children live in poverty, and on any given night 1.2 million children are homeless. Our infant mortality rate is the highest among similarly wealthy countries. With one of the highest incarceration rates in the world, 2.7 million of our children have a parent behind bars. We also lead the world in incarcerating minors.

These longstanding failures are troubling enough, but the new administration’s policies have amplified the ongoing cruelty and injustice.

President Trump’s unconstitutional attempts to ban birthright citizenship sent shockwaves through immigrant communities, threatening the very foundation of belonging for hundreds of thousands of children across the United States. Noncitizen children would face severe, irreparable harm, including being denied access to essential economic, educational, and health supports, constant threats of deportation and family separation, and heightened trauma. This isn’t just illegal – as a federal judge ruled – it’s immoral.

At the same time, Congress passed and President Trump signed the discriminatory Laken Riley Act, which will not only tear families apart but risks criminalizing thousands of vulnerable undocumented young people without due process. Meanwhile, the threat of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids at schools – sanctuaries of learning – will turn safe environments into places of fear, disrupting not only children’s education but also their emotional well-being.

And then, there’s Congressman Ryan Zinke’s recent flippant suggestion to place children of detained undocumented immigrants into the foster system, completely ignoring the failures of an already overloaded system that too often harms children more than it helps them.

Further, the potential dismantling of the Department of Education puts the fundamental right for children to have access to public education at risk.

Not to mention, potential cuts to Medicaid – a lifeline for children living in poverty or with special healthcare needs – that would strip away critical services and force families to make decisions about their children’s care no parent should have to make.

Individually, these policies are disturbing. Together they reflect a staggering disregard for the well-being of children by the most powerful figures in our nation. Children should never bear the brunt of political posturing or policy decisions designed to tear families apart and wreak havoc among vulnerable communities.

We have already seen the impact of such policies. When families are separated, lives are changed forever. When systems are overloaded, children are denied the care and attention they desperately need. When healthcare access is reduced or cut, young people with chronic illnesses, disabilities, or special needs face insurmountable barriers to thriving.

These are not abstract concepts. They are real and they are devastating. 

It is incumbent on each of us to urge policymakers to find solutions that strengthen families rather than break them apart. A child’s well-being is intrinsically linked to the stability of their family and their community. To achieve this, we must ease the financial burdens and stress families face by supporting vital safety net programs that have proven their value in sustaining families and reinvigorating communities. Congress should seize real opportunities for bipartisan collaboration that are within our grasp, such as expanding the Child Tax Credit and the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit. We must also reimagine our immigration system, transforming it to uphold the dignity and humanity of children rather than perpetuating cycles of fear and harm.

At every level of government, every policy or action must be evaluated through the lens of what is best for children. We say we care about them, now is our chance to prove it.