Lawmakers are considering a bill that would help prevent children from being left in legal limbo if parents are suddenly detained by immigration.
Assembly bill 460, or the Family Unity Support Act, would be used in the event a child was separated from their parents due to a federal immigration order, and who have not already set up a guardianship.
A relative or other interested party could apply to care for the child in the event a parent is detained or deported by immigration enforcement.
Assemblymember Cecelia González said this measure addresses the specific challenges families face during immigration-related separations.
“When a parent is suddenly detained or deported, their child’s world is turned upside down. These children experience fear, instability, and deep uncertainty about their future.”
Without written instructions from the parents, children can be left in limbo with no clear idea of who will care for them, Gonzalez says.
However, the person seeking guardianship must still be approved by a judge.
Nevada has the highest share in the nation of mixed-status households, at 9 percent. A mixed-status household is a family where some members are U.S. citizens or have legal status, while others do not.
In the state, 12.4 percent of U.S. born children live with at least one family member who does not have legal status.
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