Increase in the Number of Children Placed in State Care in Georgia After Their Parents Were Deported
According to former DFCS head and Judge Tom Rawlings, the state's primary priority should be reuniting children with their families rather than keeping them in state care for extended periods.
GEORGIA:-There has been a significant increase in the number of children placed in state care in Georgia, as more parents face arrest or deportation by immigration authorities. According to data from the Georgia Department of Human Services, this surge has placed additional strain on the state’s child protection system.
According to recently released data, 83 migrant children came under state custody during the six-month period from October 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026. During the same period the previous year, this figure was only 46, representing an increase of approximately 80 percent.
Although this number of immigrant children appears small compared to the total of 12,700 children in Georgia’s foster care or children’s homes, it has placed an additional financial burden on government agencies. Last year alone, Georgia’s Division of Family and Children Services faced a budget shortfall of $86 million, leading to the suspension or cancellation of numerous foster care contracts.
According to immigration lawyers and activists, the actual figures may be even higher than official statistics indicate. In recent years, the rate of arrests resulting from immigration enforcement in Georgia has been very high. Data through March shows that Georgia ranks fifth among U.S. states for the number of immigrant arrests.
When parents face deportation, children are forced to endure severe mental distress and family separation. To prevent children from ending up in state foster care in such situations, rights activists and lawyers are advising immigrant families to make advance preparations.
If you are arrested, legally authorize a close relative or trusted friend in advance to care for your children. Grant someone else official authority to make decisions regarding the children’s schooling or healthcare.
Most immigrant parents come to the United States for the sake of their children’s bright future. Even if they face deportation, they make every possible effort to leave their U.S.-citizen children here or to reunite with them in a safe country.
According to former DFCS head and Judge Tom Rawlings, the state’s primary priority should be reuniting children with their families rather than keeping them in state care for extended periods.
If parents have already returned to their home countries, government agencies are coordinating with foreign embassies to arrange for the children’s passports and necessary legal documents, thereby assisting in the process of sending them back to the country where their parents are located.
