According to multiple reports, over 145,000 US citizen children have experienced a parent being detained by immigration authorities since Donald Trump's second term began. This estimate comes from a new report published Monday by the Brookings Institution.
Key Takeaways
A new report from Brookings Institution estimates that over 145,000 US citizen children have experienced a parent being detained by ICE since Trump’s second term began. The study highlights significant undercounting in official DHS figures and underscores the severe impact on young families across various states.
The study found that about 22,000 of these children had all their co-resident parents detained. Roughly 36% were younger than six years old, highlighting the severe impact on young families. The largest share of affected children are linked to Mexico (54%), with Guatemala and Honduras accounting for over 25%. Washington DC and Texas have been particularly hard hit.
The Brookings report also noted that official DHS figures likely undercount the true number of detainees with US citizen children, which was reported as 18,277 in fiscal year 2025. Earlier investigations by The Guardian found that about 32,000 children were affected in just the first seven months of 2025 alone.
The Trump administration has faced widespread criticism for its hardline immigration enforcement strategy. Researchers at Brookings emphasized the need for accurate data collection and public reporting on parental detention and deportation to address the consequences of family separation effectively. DHS spokesperson argued that parents have choices regarding their removal, including taking control of their departure.
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