U.S. Senator Warren of Massachusetts among those arguing that Trump Administration’s immigration policies are increasing costs for families

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), along with Representative Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), led over 40 colleagues in pressing the Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children & Families on how they say the Trump Administration’s immigration policies are shrinking the childcare workforce and driving up costs. This letter comes amid reports of ICE activity at and around childcare facilities and growing staffing shortages nationwide.

“These policies — paired with the Administration’s recent moves to slash federal support that made childcare more affordable — are an attack on American families,” wrote the lawmakers.

“Rather than making childcare more affordable, President Trump has done the opposite by withholding billions of dollars in federal funding from childcare providers, and rescinding protections meant to ensure that childcare providers can stay afloat.“

“As Members of Congress committed to supporting American families and maintaining an affordable, reliable childcare system, we seek to ensure that federal enforcement practices are not unintentionally driving up costs, destabilizing childcare programs, or undermining the safe, supportive environments that children need to thrive,” continued the lawmakers.

The lawmakers requested that, by February 26, 2026, ACF share any information available regarding the impact of immigration operations on childcare staffing shortages, including data on staffing shortages, enrollment declines, projected cost increases, and how coordination with DHS on enforcement actions may disrupt federally funded childcare programs.

Other signers include: Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Representatives Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), Becca Balint (D-Vt.), Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.), Greg Casar (D-Texas), Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Gil Cisneros (D-Calif.), Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), Herb Conaway (D-N.J.), Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.), Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.), Dwight Evans (D-Pa.), Jesús “Chuy” García (D-Ill.), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.), Bill Keating (D-Mass.), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), George Latimer (D-N.Y.), Summer Lee (D-Pa.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.), Kelly Morrison (D-Minn.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), and Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.).