by Anthony Gómez, PhD, Kristina K. Lovato, PhD, Andrea Lane Eastman, PhD, and Mark E. Courtney, PhD
Introduction
Little is known about the experiences and outcomes of undocumented transition-age youth in foster care (ages 16 to 24; TAY). Collecting data on TAY’s immigration status is ethically and logistically challenging, resulting in limited evidence to guide the development of best practices. However, the recent implementation of California Assembly Bill 829 (AB 829; Ch. 528) provides a unique opportunity to collect population-level data on TAY’s immigration status. Passed in 2022, AB 829 encourages caseworkers to record immigration status in administrative child protection records as part of a broader effort to ensure the timely notification of youths’ attorneys and the provision of immigration legal services.
To inform this work, we assessed the ability to leverage information on immigration status (as documented in administrative records before the implementation of AB 829) to learn more about young people in care who are undocumented. We also examined the relationship between immigration status and the completion of Transitional Independent Living Plans (TILPs), which are co-developed by youth and their caseworkers that outline goals and service needs related to independent living.
This Study Answered the Following Questions:
- To what extent was immigration status reliably documented in administrative child protective case records before the implementation of AB 829?
- Have immigration documentation and TILP completion rates changed over time?
- What is the relationship between young people’s immigration status and TILP completion?
Method
This study used statewide administrative child protective services records from California’s Child Welfare Services Case Management System (CWS/CMS). Our sample included 19,610 young people who turned 21 by December 31, 2022. Young people were included in the sample if they had spent at least one year in child welfare-supervised foster care on or after their 16th birthday between 2015 and 2022.
Immigration status was measured across four categories: U.S. citizen, legal resident, undocumented, and missing. TILP completion was measured using three different outcomes: any TILP completion (yes/no), the total number of completed TILPs, and the discrepancy between required and actual TILPs. We used logistic and negative binomial regression to examine the association between immigration status and TILP outcomes.
Results
Missingness in immigration status was common, increased over time, and varied across counties.
One in five young people were missing their immigration status from their case record. Additionally, the rate of immigration status missingness increased from 20% to 25% between 2015 and 2022. Missingness at the county level ranged from 0% to 68.9%.
TILP completion increased over time and varied by immigration status.
TILP completion increased from 53% to 66% between 2015 and 2022. However, young people who were U.S. citizens (61.6%) and undocumented (66.4%) were significantly more likely to have completed TILPs compared to legal residents (56.7%) or young people with a missing immigration status (50.6%).
TAY who had a missing immigration status had worse TILP completion outcomes.
Compared to U.S. citizens, young people with a missing immigration status had a lower likelihood of completing any TILPs, fewer TILPs overall, and a higher discrepancy between the number of completed and required TILPs.
Sensitivity analyses showed immigration status missingness considerably biased the results of our analyses of the relationships between legal status and TILP completion.
Our findings should be interpreted with this limitation in mind.
Implications
This study provides a baseline measurement of immigration status documentation preceding the implementation of AB 829. Although more uniform data collection practices are needed before we can reliably assess relationships between immigration status and the outcomes of young adults leaving foster care, our findings highlight opportunities to align child welfare practice and policy with the needs of undocumented TAY.
Recommendation 1:
Provide Caseworkers with Training and Resources Pertaining to Undocumented TAY
Supporting undocumented TAY is especially urgent given the resurgence of anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies under the current Trump Administration. Child welfare professionals must be equipped with specialized training, up-to-date legal resources, and institutional flexibility to navigate the increasingly hostile policy environment (Lovato et al., 2025). Many undocumented TAY may be fearful of disclosing their immigration status due to intensified immigration enforcement and the erosion of trust in public systems. It is therefore critical that caseworkers exercise heightened discretion and follow best practices that connect young people with needed services while limiting the disclosure of immigration status (e.g., AB 829). Such practices help rebuild trust between undocumented TAY, their caregivers, and child welfare professionals.
Recommendation 2:
Build Systems of Care for Undocumented TAY
Agencies should strengthen partnerships between Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) units, TAY programs, and legal service providers to ensure coordinated case planning that addresses both the developmental and legal needs of undocumented youth. Interagency collaborations can provide a consistent framework for best practices, including trauma-informed communication, culturally responsive service delivery, and proactive advocacy to counteract the chilling effects of anti-immigrant policies on help-seeking behaviors. Supporting undocumented TAY in this climate requires a systems-level commitment to confidentiality, cultural humility, and rights-based service provision.
Recommendation 3:
Funding Research and Evaluation
The current political climate requires researchers to ethically balance data collection with the safety of undocumented TAY. Secondhand data from caseworkers and other professionals can yield valuable research insights while protecting young people’s identities. Given the recent curtailment of federal funding for research on immigrant communities, foundations and state and local governments will play an increasingly important role in funding research and evaluation.
Policy Context
The policy environment for immigrant youth and families has shifted significantly since the publication of this study. The passage of HR 1 in 2025 (Public Law No. 119-21: One Big Beautiful Bill Act) has altered the availability of social and health services for immigrant communities that fall into certain categories of non-citizens. Of note, HR 1 assesses new fees on SIJS petitions, eliminates federal Medicaid funding for non-citizens, and imposes work requirements for adult SNAP recipients under age 24 who were in foster care on their 18th birthday. These changes do not account for barriers that undocumented TAY face in accessing services and securing stable employment. Moreover, increased immigration enforcement across the U.S. has stoked fear in immigrant communities, which can disincentivize engagement with service providers and make it more difficult to deliver services to undocumented youth and families (Alsan & Yang, 2024; Cruz Nichols et al., 2018).
California continues to be a leader in promoting immigrant family unity and well-being. In October 2025, the Governor of California signed AB 1261 (Ch. 665), which allocates $10 million to provide legal representation for migrant children who enter the US without a parent or guardian, following the termination of federal funds that had previously supported such services. Further, AB 144 (Chapter 105 of 2025) closed a coverage gap created by HR 1 that left undocumented TAY in extended foster care without healthcare because HR 1 prohibits states from using Medicaid funds to do so. These state laws highlight the potential for states to mitigate the effects of federal policies and maintain access to essential supports.
Conclusion
The study underscores the opportunities and challenges of documenting immigration status among young people transitioning from foster care. The implementation of AB 829 represents a step toward improving data quality and access to legal services; however, recent changes in the federal immigration policy landscape highlight the need to prioritize the well-being of immigrant TAY and families. HR 1 and immigration enforcement have jeopardized the well-being and unity of immigrant families. In response, California has taken protective measures to ensure access to legal representation, health care, and social services, highlighting opportunities for state and local governments to pass legislation that mitigates the harmful effects of recent federal policies.
Read the full study Gómez, A., Lovato, K. K., Eastman, A. L., & Courtney, M. E. (2025). An Examination of Immigration Status and its Implications for Transition-Age Youth in the Child Welfare System. Families in Society. https://doi.org/10.1177/10443894251340097
Anthony Gómez, PhD, is a research specialist at the Transition-Age Youth Research and Evaluation Hub. His research examines policies serving youth transitioning from foster care. Contact: [email protected]
Kristina Lovato, PhD, MSW, is an Assistant Professor of Social Welfare at the University of California, Berkeley and serves as the Director of the Center on Immigration and Child Welfare (CICW). Contact: [email protected]
Andrea Lane Eastman, PhD, serves as Associate Research Professor at the USC School of Social Work and Co-Director of the Transition-Age Youth Research and Evaluation Hub within the California Child Welfare Indicators Project at UC Berkeley. Contact: [email protected]
Mark E. Courtney is Samuel Deutsch Professor emeritus in the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice at the University of Chicago.