By Mayra E. Alvarez, president of The Children’s Partnership
Today, April 30, is celebrated as Day of the Child, el Dia del Niño, in Mexico. I am the proud daughter of Mexican immigrants and even though I’m now an adult, my mama still sends me a beautiful text filled with kind words and a lot of emojis to express her love and support. She, like most of us, recognizes the critical importance of love and support on the development of a child and their well-being.
Yet today, which also marks the first 100 days of President Trump’s administration, too many of our government leaders are showing the opposite. The Trump administration has represented a detrimental force against child well-being. From seeking to eliminate Head Start and vital early learning programs, to trying to deny infants birthright citizenship and now removing our youngest citizens from the United States without due process, these executive orders disregard the fundamental belief that every child is valuable and deserving of opportunities to thrive.
The President Is Hurting the Programs that Support Our Children
Attacks on child well-being are evident in directives concerning health care, immigration, and education. For instance, attempts to decimate Medicaid threaten vital services and supports for more than five million children in California. Medi-Cal, as Medicaid is known in California, is a fundamental building block for a child’s development.
Access to health care empowers families to raise healthy children who are ready to learn and grow and offers them the financial security that comes with health care coverage. Any potential policy that threatens to rob families of this coverage essentially hamstrings children’s prospects for a healthy future.
The Chilling Effect of Trump’s Anti-family, Anti-child Policies
In his first days in office, President Trump made several actions that threaten the well-being of California’s children and our country’s economic future, rescinding several important immigration-related orders from the Biden administration and signing a litany of executive orders. Family separations at the border, under the guise of law enforcement, are tearing children away from their parents, sometimes without any real way to reunite them.
We know the devastating consequences these actions will have: instilling fear; creating a chilling effect on children’s participation in health, education and social services; and causing significant economic and social instability. These actions can cause lifelong trauma and distress, fundamentally undermining children’s well-being and prosperity.
What Supporting Our Children Should Look Like
Believing in all our children means valuing them equally and investing in their potential. It means creating policies fostering inclusion, security and wellness for every child, regardless of their race, place of birth or economic background. When we elevate our children’s needs and address them with compassion and empathy, we acknowledge their place in our shared future.
We are stronger as a nation when we unite under the banner of inclusive growth for our children. Division and exclusion serve only to weaken the social fabric that holds us together. Policies that uplift all children forge a path toward a more collaborative, prosperous and harmonious society.
Believe, Unite and Act for Children’s Health
The call to action is clear: As a community, it’s imperative to advocate fiercely for policies prioritizing child well-being and to unite in our dedication to healthy children, strong families and welcoming communities. In believing in all our children and their boundless potential, we commit to building a stronger, more unified America.
