Right now, in 2025, Head Start faces an unsettling shift under President Trump’s administration. A directive has been issued requiring providers to ban undocumented children from the program—upending decades of mission-driven service to vulnerable communities. Providers across the country are speaking out, and legal challenges are already underway in 21 states. The Department of Health and Human Services has temporarily paused enforcement in those states until September 11. 

Meanwhile, Head Start is also under financial strain—hit by budget delays, regional office closures, and a funding freeze that the GAO has ruled illegal. These disruptions are causing center closures, service delays, and placing nearly 800,000 children at risk. 

That’s why we, the undersigned, demand:

• Federal and state governments must ensure no parent—documented or undocumented—is excluded from Head Start programs or faces intimidation when enrolling their child.
• Suspend immediately any policy or directive that prohibits undocumented children from accessing Head Start.
• Direct HHS to issue a clear mandate affirming that child immigration status is not a barrier to receiving federally funded early childhood education.
• Commit to immediate funding restoration and stabilization so that centers can continue serving all families without delays or barriers.

Head Start was created to serve children facing the greatest barriers—from poverty, instability, and systemic inequities. Denying undocumented children access undercuts not only their education but the ethical core of the program. It also forces providers into impossible positions, choosing between federal compliance and serving children in need. 

This shouldn’t be a political battleground—it must remain a place where every child, regardless of their parent’s status, can thrive. Add your name if you believe Head Start must welcome every child—without fear, without exclusion.