A federal judge in Washington state has issued a nationwide block on a Trump administration directive that sought to prevent children in the US illegally from enrolling in Head Start, the federally funded preschool program.
The ruling comes after a coalition of 21 Democratic attorneys general successfully halted the policy’s implementation in their own states. With this new injunction, the policy is effectively on hold across the country.
Andrew Nixon, a spokesperson for the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), said the agency “disagrees with the court’s decisions and is evaluating next steps.”
Background of the policy change
In July, HHS proposed a reinterpretation of federal rules that would have disallowed immigrants in the country illegally from accessing certain social services, including Head Start and other community health programs.
These programs had been accessible under federal law established during President Bill Clinton’s administration.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. described the policy change as part of an effort to disincentivize illegal immigration by restricting access to federal benefits.
Judge’s ruling and concerns
In issuing the preliminary injunction, Judge Ricardo Martinez emphasized the long-standing interpretation of eligibility rules: “It also results in parents losing childcare, risking missed work, unemployment, forced dropouts, and inability to pay life expenses and support families.”
The judge noted that the policy threatened access to services families rely upon and saw no justification for the abrupt change.
Impact on Head Start programs
Head Start providers had not previously been required to screen applicants’ immigration status, a point plaintiffs argued could undermine trust in the program and reduce enrollment. Questions over whose status would be checked — the child’s, a caregiver’s, or another household member’s — added to the potential confusion.
Ming-Qi Chu, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union representing the plaintiffs, said: “This happened very abruptly with no transition plan in place. The policy changes threatened to lead to the disenrollment of more than 100,000 children from Head Start programs, which have historically played a large role in supporting immigrant families.”
Significance of Head Start
Established six decades ago as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty, Head Start serves more than half a million low-income children nationwide. The program has endured disruptions over the years, including federal grant freezes and temporary closures early in President Trump’s second term.
